Winds Will Howl As Walls Come Tumbling Down
by blackestnight10
Summary: Sometimes, doing the right thing, letting instinct have control, lands you in a bad place. Madison knew from the start it was a bad idea, but still she found herself at the side of a Scotsman. She quickly learns that to leave his side will cause pain, but so will remaining there. And no matter the ending, she's now Sam Crow. Chibs/OC Set during Season 5.
1. Chapter 1

**Hello all! **

**This story is sort of just my ramblings. Having writer's block on another story so I thought I would try to sort some things out by writing this little thing. Plus, a chance to write about Chibs? Uh…yes please haha. **

**I suppose far as time period, this takes place during Season 5. **

**So enjoy! **

It was all one huge mistake. She should have kept to herself. Just called the police and stayed in her car. It would have been so simple and then she'd have been able to drive off, stay out of it all. But instead she did so much more. More than calling the police. More than driving away.

Maddie had let that conniving humanity in her pull at her strings and she found herself kneeling in a growing pool of blood.

She looked down at her knees as she sat in the sickly clean hospital. She was doing her best not to touch anything. Her hands were stained with drying blood and the knees of her pants were soaked through with more. Her hair desperately needed to be pulled back in a ponytail, but seeing the blood covering her, she figured her hair was the least of her worries.

With a clouded mind, Maddie followed after a nurse who was showing her to a room where she could get cleaned up.

"When you're finished, I'll take you to your fiancé," the nurse told her with a warm smile, rubbing lightly at her arm.

The _click_ of the door thundered through Maddie's head as she looked around the room, finding an empty hospital bed. A nurse's scrub top was folded and sat at the edge of it. She went first into the restroom attached to the room, turning the water on. The blood began to streak off from her skin, splattering down into the sink. She reached out to the soap dispenser, taking more than was needed, rubbing harshly at her hands and arms. Looking up to her reflection Maddie took an unsteady breath, thoughts rolling uncomfortably over where her humanity had gotten her. For a moment she looked down to the sink, the face of that man coming into her head. Much as she wanted to change her clothing and leave the hospital, Maddie eventually found herself being led by a nurse to another room. She sat in the chair next to the hospital bed, listening as various machines hummed and beeped around her. She stared at the man that lied under the sheets, his eyes closed, chest rising steadily. His head was wrapped in bandages; knicks and cuts covered his arms.

Over and over her eyes trailed the scars that graced his face. Cheek to cheek. She stared at the tattoos that inked his arms and chest.

She wanted to leave before he awoke. But something told her sitting there at his side was the safest place for her at that moment. _What if the others came looking for her? They wouldn't dare come into a hospital, would they?_

The nurse had asked if there was anyone they should call when Maddie and he had first arrived. Maddie had been quick to say no. And she had been quick to blurt that she was his fiancé, so that she'd be allowed access to him. She had to admit, it had been clever of her. And very foolish. Maddie slid back in the chair, feeling herself sinking further into whatever this mess was.

She had looked at his wallet. _Filip Telford_. The cut he had been wearing should have been enough to get Maddie back into her car, to wait there for the police and ambulance to arrive. But that would have required her to actually call 911; no, instead she had stayed there with him until it was too late to do anything else but run.

She had been returning home to Charming from Stockton, done for the day and evening at university. She had been thinking how glad she was she only had to make this trip twice a week, staring through her front windshield as the headlights streaked out over the road. Things would have been much easier if she would just move to Stockton, but then she'd be paying rent every month whereas in Charming she had a paid off house to call home.

Maddie had slowed as she approached a curve, knowing there was a slow decline off to the right and hunched trees blocked her view round the corner. If it hadn't been for the faint glance she caught of a red taillight she would have never stopped.

Cautiously Maddie slowed and pulled off to the side, pulling herself up against he steering wheel, looking out the passenger window. She could see the outline of a motorcycle tossed in the dirt and leaves. Her brow scrunched as she then saw something that didn't look like part of the earth.

"Shit," she muttered, reaching into her pockets, trying desperately to find her phone. Her eyes kept glancing back over to the person that lied in the leaves. Panic set in and Maddie pulled herself from her car, legs leading her off the road. She knelt next to the man, hands in the air, unsure if she should touch him. Even in the dark she could see the blood that covered him. Carefully, she reached out towards his head, her fingers grazing him, coming back slick with blood. Instantly her hand found its way back to his head, staying there as if to stop the bleeding, to hold everything in place. She felt at his neck, trying to find a pulse. For a second she smiled like a fool when she could feel the thudding of his pulse. "Hey. Hey, can you hear me?" she asked, leaning over the man. She scooted closer to him. Halting, Maddie looked down to her knees, feeling something cold and wet coming through her jeans. She gasped as she followed the dark shadow back to the man's side. With a fear, she reached out, touching at him. She pulled back the jacket he wore and could see the glisten of blood.

The man began to groan and suddenly Maddie's heart was in her head, beating loudly.

"I have to get you to a hospital," she said, though the words were more for herself. The man needed help, quickly. She began speaking aloud, saying everything. "I'm going to pull you up, I have to get you to my car. We have to get to the hospital." Saying every word, every thought, it was the only thing keeping Maddie from hysterics at that moment.

She grunted and strained, pulling the man against her, dragging him up the incline and towards her car. The man cried out as her grip of him tightened. She held onto him the best she could, fighting against the slickness the blood was making of them both. Maddie managed to get him to the passenger side of her car, leaning him against it as she opened the door. It was clumsy and awkward as she climbed into the car backwards, dragging the man with her. Once he was in the seat, Maddie rushed back to the other side and for a moment just stared. Breathing hard, she reached out quickly, pulling at his jacket and the cut that went over it. She yanked both off, removing the cut from the jacket, tossing it to the back. She wrapped the jacket around the man's stomach, tying a knot in it. She pushed gently at his side. _Maybe this would help slow the bleeding._ From the corner of her eye Maddie could see the reaper on that cut staring up at her from the backseat. A worry set in her eyes, looking over the man.

And then her feet were moving again. She rushed to the driver's side. Throwing the car into drive, she looked from the road to the man and back again. She fumbled with her pockets once again, searching for that phone. Her eyes darted downwards, seeing it resting in the cupholder. Taking her eyes off the road, she reached down for it. Her heart froze as a car came rushing towards her. She jerked the wheel, straightening the car back out. She was breathing a sigh of relief when she looked up into the rearview mirror, seeing breaklights flash brightly. The squeal of tires could be heard as the car turned around.

Maddie felt herself go cold as the car gained on her. Out of panic her foot pressed harder at the gas. She could hear the gunshots, hollow in her ears, and feel as the bullets ripped through her car. Afterwards, at the hospital, when the cops had come to get her statement, Maddie wasn't sure what had happened, why it had happened. All she could tell them was that, the car gained on them, coming up on her side, and her car had—she had—jerked the wheel, crashing into the black SUV, sending it off the road. When the gunfire had stopped and the lights were no longer in her mirrors, Maddie kept driving.

Arriving at the hospital, Maddie fought the fear that was keeping her from moving. And once again she found she moved on autopilot. Coming round to the passenger side she yanked the door open and stared at the man. Her hands ran over him before she stepped back and looked at the door, seeing no bullet holes.

A commotion reached her ears, coming from the entrance to St. Thomas. She looked quickly to the man and then up to the nurses rushing towards them. Without thought, Maddie searched for the man's wallet. She unhooked it from the chain on his pants. Moving as quickly as she could, her eyes darted over an ID. _Filip Telford_. She shoved the wallet into her back pocket as the nurses reached her car.

And the lies just came pouring from her mouth. Questions were being asked of her and Maddie's mouth opened and closed on its own. _I was following him home. Someone ran him off the road. I didn't see who it was. They just drove off. Please, you have to help him._ They asked her relation to him and Maddie didn't even flinch. _He's my fiancé. His name's Filip. Please, help him. _

She stood back and watched as _Filip_ was carted off into the building. Maddie just stood there, dumbfounded. She slammed the car door shut, rushing over to the driver's side. She parked as far back in the lot as she could, away from the lamps that leered down towards her from high up above. Again, her brain worked all on its own; she opened the back door, grabbing at the cut and looking over it. _Sons of Anarcy. Scotsman. Sgt. At Arms._ Maddie shoved the cut under the seat and slammed the door. Feeling the cold wind at her back, she ran quickly to the hospital.

And now she sat at the bedside of a man she did not know. The echo of the gunshots returned to her head, fading in and out. She looked down at her hands, now free of the blood, yet she could somehow still feel her skin covered in it. With a shaky hand she pushed her hair behind her ears.

She had been told that Filip would be fine. He'd recover. The doctors had removed a bullet from his side. After telling her this, the cops had arrived and began asking questions. Again, the lies came easily to her. Mingled with some truth. She told them that a car had rushed past her, coming up alongside Filip. She heard popping noises and then the car forced Filip off the road.

Being left alone with the man now, Maddie hadn't a clue what to do. In her mind, she was positive that the men in the other car had seen her. They had tailed her long enough they probably even had her plate number. What if the men in that car weren't dead? What if they came looking for her? She was afraid to even walk out of the hospital. With slow movements, Maddie pulled the wallet from her pocket and opened it again, going through everything in it. She then stood and walked over to where Filip's belongings had been placed. She glanced over her shoulder to him before picking through it, finding a phone. Flipping it open, Maddie searched the contacts, but there weren't any. She frowned. No names. There were numbers, but they were only titled by single digits. 1, 2, 3, and so on. The frown deepened.

She walked back over to Filip's side, sitting slowly in the chair. She watched him for a moment.

The cell in her hand began to vibrate and the ringing filled the room. The lit screen showed a single number. 2. Maddie watched Filip's sleeping form as she flipped the phone open and held it up to her ear.

What was the point of not answering?

Moment she spotted him out there on the road she was in too deep.

**So there you have it, my little rambling (: **


	2. Chapter 2

**Thanks for the reviews! So glad to see people enjoyed the start of this. **

**Here's the new chapter, enjoy! **

"Hello?" Maddie said into the phone, holding it as steady as she could while she spoke as quietly as she could, eyes lingering over the man in the bed. Over Filip.

A gruff voice came over the other end. "Hello? _Hello?_ Who the hell is this? Where's Chibs?"

Maddie could hear other voices in the background, none any friendlier than the one speaking to her.

"There—there was an accident," she said, standing from the chair and walking to the far corner of the room. The man on the other end kept cutting her off, asking question after question. Maddie fought to remain calm and keep her words steady. "I don't know. Someone shot him. I found him, I think they ran him off the road. No, he's at the hospital—I brought him to St. Thomas'."

Maddie could hear as the man was relaying the information back to the others he was with. A slew of curses and raised voices flowed over to her end. It sounded like the man was pulling the phone away from his ear and so Maddie spoke up anxiously.

"I think whoever did this to him came back."

The man on the other side quickly shut the others up. "What? Who? You see them?"

Feeling like a fool, Maddie shook her head. "No. I was already in my car. I passed them, on the road." The man stopped her, asking what type of car it was. "A black SUV. They turned around and came after us. They shot at us. But I—I pushed them off the road."

"_Shit!_" the man muttered. "They follow you to the hospital?"

"No. No one followed me."

She heard a man in the background ask, "Is he alright? Is Chibs okay?"

"How is he?" asked the man on the phone. His voice was still coarse, but the harshness in it was gone now. He had become tired of the shakiness in Maddie's voice; he could tell she was in deep as far as shock went.

Taking a step towards the hospital bed Maddie looked over Filip. "Yeah," she said quietly, "uhm, doctors got the bullet out. Wasn't any major damage they said. Hit his head pretty bad though. There was a lot of blood, but the doctors didn't say anything. They gave him some stitches and that was it."

There was a clatter on the other end as the phone was handed off to someone else and new voice filled her ear. "You took him to St. Thomas?"

"Yeah."

"And you're sure no one followed you?"

"Yeah," answered Maddie. At least not when we got here…I haven't gone back outside—but I parked the car in the back, so no one would see it. The cops already came by and I told them I was following Filip home and a car came up and shot him then drove off."

"Did you see who was in the car?" The new man's voice was certain and cold, like he was used to hearing shit news like this.

"No. They might have been black. I don't know." Maddie told him exactly where she had been when the black SUV appeared. As she did so, she could hear him telling someone called Tig to go with another person and check the place out. "His bike is still there!" Maddie added quickly.

"Alright," the guy told her. He pulled the phone away from his head, but Maddie could hear him say, "I'll call Tara, tell her to meet us at the hospital." The man then came back on the phone with her. "What's your name?"

"Madison."

"Right, listen Madison. We're gonna come to the hospital. Where are you right now?"

"With Filip. Chibs. Nurse brought me in here so I just stayed here."

"Just stay there then. These guys, don't trust them to not come into the hospital looking for you."

"Okay," Maddie said with uncertainty.

The phone was handed back over to the first man. "You still there?"

"Yeah."

"Just stay in that room. We're heading over there right now." Maddie could hear motorcycle engines turning over one after another.

"Wait! What's your name?" Maddie asked.

"Bobby."

There was a click and the dead air of a dial tone filled Maddie's ear. She flipped the phone shut and clutched it in her hands. Biting at her nail, she looked over to the hospital bed. She held in the laughter that wanted to escape her. She very well could have just signed her death warrant; telling these men where she was. Where Filip was. Might have just signed two death warrants. But if the number was saved into his phone, surely these men were friends of Filip's? Of Chibs'. She had a break from reality and studied Filip. What sort of name was Chibs?

Maddie looked around the room. She thought of leaving. At least someone was coming for the man now. She found that her feet would not move towards the door. Fear for her own life, fear of what she had gotten herself into kept her glued to the spot. She was a fool—she was certain of that—but she wasn't a fool when it came to what that reaper on Filip's cut meant. She knew who the Sons were. She knew SAMCRO. And if someone had tried to kill one of its members, and she had just intervened, Maddie was now on that kill list as well. Simply blinking at one of the Sons was enough to get a target placed on your back, she knew all of this.

She couldn't very well lock the hospital room door. Would draw too much suspicion from the staff. And Maddie was fairly certain they already suspected something from her. Wasn't like the Sons were unheard of. No one had said anything, but Maddie knew they doubted her being Filip's fiancé. None wanted to question it though, for that would be getting involved in the business of SAMCRO.

With another look around the room, Maddie took note of the chairs. They weren't anything special. She could easily pick one up. So she did, moving it to face the one that sat next to the bed. She moved it just close enough that when someone came in, if she needed to, she could pick it up quickly and chuck it at them. She sat there for a moment, thinking over her plan and thinking herself stupid. If she threw a chair at whoever came through that door, she then have to get past them and a chair to reach the door. Maddie sighed, turning to look at Filip. Her eyes fell to his side, at the various buttons built into the side. She spotted the one that called for the nurse.

The machines that beeped and hummed were situated on the other side of the bed; there was no moving a chair to that side. She could have moved the machines back a bit, but Maddie didn't trust herself to touch anything. She placed the second chair back in its place and took her seat next to Filip again. She wondered how long it would be before the others got there. Bobby and the others. She stared at the button that called for the nurse. With itchy movements she rose from the chair a few times, reaching out for it, just testing to see how quickly she could reach it.

Maddie stilled and rushed to sit back down as she caught Filip stir slightly in his sleep. The nurse had told her he'd been given something for the pain and to help him get some rest. She held her breath, waiting for him to make another movement. His head began to twitch in his sleep to the side. His mouth opened slightly, like he was trying to say something. Maddie could see his muscles tightening in his hands. Without thought, she slowly reached out, resting her hand over his. The twitching ended, the muscles relaxed. With a frown Maddie removed her hand from his and sat back in the chair.

She watched over him in the quiet room, tensing any time someone passed by the door in the hallway. She had stared for long at his scars that soon they became a blur to her and her eyes overlooked them. He had been cleaned up; the blood that had covered him was gone. His hair was pushed back from his face by the bandages around his head. Maddie could barely make out the silver of his roots. A nurse came in to check on him while she stared at him. Maddie asked if the medication given to him was wearing off, that he was starting to move a bit.

"It's just the pain medication wearing off," the nurse said with a smile, pushing buttons on the machines and checking a bag on the IV stand. "There, that should take care of things. If you need anything, just press that button right there."

Left alone with him again, Maddie settled back into her chair, eyes flicking down to her watch constantly. She began to nod off, jerking her head up each time.

She became fully alert as voices flowed into her ears. The sound was growing, nearing the door. She could hear the handle rattle and Maddie moved quickly, standing and leaning over Filip, finger on the button to call the nurse. A woman entered first, pale with dark hair. She looked over her shoulder as others came in. She held a hand out, trying to calm Maddie.

Looking to those who came in behind the woman, Maddie's eyes fell over them with haste. A man with blonde hair came to the end of Filip's bed. Another, with a mohawk and tattoos on his head, stood against the wall, brow furrowed and eyes glassy. Others filled the room. The last to enter was a large man. He turned his back to her for something and Maddie saw the reaper across his cut. It was the first moment since they entered that Maddie could find the peace to breathe.

Slowly, she pulled back from across Filip's form. She couldn't look at all of them. She turned around and looked at Filip before taking a step back, rubbing at her arm.

The man with the blonde hair turned to one of the Sons. "Take her outside."

Bobby nodded and held an arm out to her. "Come on, let's sit outside." Maddie recognized his voice. "You got your car keys?" Maddie nodded. Reaching into her pockets she pulled them out and handed them into Bobby's waiting hand. He tossed the keys to the man with the mohawk. "Take it to TM," he told the younger man. He nodded and slipped out from the room before them.

Maddie turned around, watching as the door closed behind her and she was left in the hall with Bobby. He introduced himself to her, leading her to a waiting area.

Maddie nodded.

The two sat down. Bobby exhaled loudly, rubbing his hands on his pant legs. "You alright?" he asked, looking over to her.

For a moment Maddie just sat there, staring off. Without turning to Bobby, she stiffened her lower lip and shook her head. She hardly noticed when he rose and left, returning shortly thereafter, holding a cup of coffee out towards her. She drank from it slowly.

Someone from Filip's room came out to bring Bobby along. He left her sitting there. When he came back, he was on his phone, telling the person on the other end to bring 'the van.' He said something about running a 'check,' but Maddie paid no attention. Bobby's phone went off a few minutes later. He spoke a few words then hung up.

He stood when Jax came out. He nodded to Maddie as she looked up at him.

"We need to ask you some questions," he told her. "Figure out who did this to you." She found some comfort in his words, _who did this to you_. And with it came a chill. She was part of this now. "I'm Jax. That's Bobby. Come on," he and the woman with him led her to an empty hospital room. Bobby followed behind her. The woman stayed by the door, turned away, as if she wanted nothing to do with this. "Alright Madison, tell me everything that happened. Everything you saw."

She took a deep breath and spoke.

**Oh snap, time for interrogation! Probably not the best formal introduction to the Sons for Maddie. Oh well, she'll just have to figure out how to deal with it. **

**Now usually I write much longer chapters than this. 4k is usually my minimum, but with this story the shorter ones just seem to work. I'm sure there'll be chapters that are much longer, where the content calls for it. But for the most part I think I'll be keeping this story to short chapters, which will hopefully allow me to post more often (: **

**And after mulling things over, I can now say for certain that this story is going to follow along Season 5. I am going to change some things up, but first have to find some really, really good summaries of the episodes since my internet is lacking out here in the countryside (oh how I long for wifi so I can download the episode!) so I can start my plotting (: **

**Be sure to leave your reviews! Fun reading them! Let me know where you personally think this story is going; how Filip will react when he wakes, who exactly tried to kill him, how will the Sons act towards Maddie. Hell, you guys can tell me how you think feelings will start to develop between Maddie and Filip, think as far into the future as you want! Maybe Maddie will be dumped on Filip, maybe he'll help her out because of guilt, maybe Juice might want part of the action. Tell me what you think will happen, or what you don't want to happen. Anything cliché you don't want to read? Share your ramblings with me! **


	3. Chapter 3

**Thank you again for the reviews and new readers and new followers! **

**This story has quickly turned into a fun way to pass the time and procrastinate with (: This chapter's a bit longer than the previous, was all a matter of finding a good place to end. **

It was difficult for her to speak and look at them at the same time. A few times she peered over towards the woman, Tara, standing by the door. But Tara never looked at her. She kept her head down, arms crossed. Maddie had tried facing Jax if but for the _President_ patch on his cut. He rested his hands on the end of the hospital bed, nodding at bits of her story, shaking it at others. All the time his face set straight and hard. Bobby stood behind him, hands languidly in his pockets. He was the one Maddie could look to the most. He spoke up a few times, asking one question or another. It confused her, slightly, that neither of the men seemed to question the story she told, of how she found Filip. Chibs. She had not seen the nod Bobby sent Jax's way as they entered the room.

"You think these guys got a good look at you?" Jax asked her when she had finished.

Maddie shrugged. "I'm not sure."

"Might have caught her plate numbers," Bobby muttered. Jax agreed. "Sounds like Pope's men." Jax eyed Maddie, but said nothing on the matter. "You live alone?"

"Yeah, just me."

Jax sighed, pushing himself up from the hospital bed, sticking his hands in the pockets of his hoodie. "Look, you save our friend. We're all grateful, but you can't just walk out of here now."

Maddie scoffed, fighting the sting behind her eyes. "Yeah, I kinda figured that out already." The shock of the night, the numbness it had brought over her, was beginning to fade as Jax stood before her, confirming what she had been thinking. "I fucked up a—a hit."

"Yeah, you did," Jax told her. He looked over to the woman, Tara, then back to Maddie. "Listen, we'll take you somewhere safe. Wait till this all blows over." He watched the fall of Maddie's face as she felt herself sinking deeper into the matter. He looked back to Tara again, seeing the worry on her face, brow furrowed. He sighed. "No one's forcing you to come with us. If you want to go back home—"

"And wait for someone to come find me? To get rid of me?" Maddie asked sharply with a huff. She raked her hands through her hair. She shook her head, staring at the floor. "I'm from Charming. I know who you are. I know the Sons." Her anger at the situation—the one she had placed herself in, she could blame no one else—filtered through her veins. Feeling heavy, she sat down in the nearest chair, mind jumping from one thought to another.

Jax looked to Bobby who shrugged, shaking his head. The two men walked towards the door, pulling Tara out to the hall with them.

"Stay here with her," Jax told Tara. She nodded. He turned to Bobby. "She clear?" he asked.

Bobby told him she was. "Juice couldn't find anything on her. Said he could look more, but nothing on the surface at least. Not even a damn speeding ticket." Jax asked if there was anything in her car. "Backpack, Chibs' cut, phone. Already checked it, looks clean."

"He check it for bugs? Check the car?"

Bobby nodded. "All clean."

Jax shook his head, turning on the spot and looking down the hall to Chibs' room. "Girl was in the wrong place, wrong time."

"Chibs would be dead, if it wasn't for her," Tara told them quietly. "Bullet wound wasn't anything bad, hit on his head wasn't either. But out on that road, it's a wonder she even saw him. If she hadn't seen him…"

"Pope's men would have found him," Bobby finished, though they weren't certain yet if it indeed had been Pope that tried to take out Chibs.

Jax peered into the room Maddie sat in though he couldn't see her. "When Juice gets back, take her to the clubhouse. Keep her there. Sort this shit out tomorrow." He headed back into Chibs' room; there was no way the club was going to leave Chibs there in the hospital alone for the night.

Tara walked softly back into the other room. Maddie looked up to see her enter, Bobby behind her. After a moment, Tara cracked a small smile, nodded her head over to Bobby. "They're gonna take you to the clubhouse." Maddie stared blankly at her. "The uh, Teller-Morrow car shop?" Maddie then nodded, knowing of the place. She could vaguely recall driving past it before. "Some of the guys are going to stay there with you. Sort everything out tomorrow."

"Fix up your car too," Bobby threw in.

Maddie nodded again. Seemed like this night wasn't too off from their regular nights, the way these two were handling things. She sighed, slinking down into the chair.

Tara watched the young woman. She must have been in her twenties. Mid, maybe late-twenties. Though she wore a nurse's top, Maddie didn't look anything special to Tara. She didn't look like she belonged in this world she was slowly being drawn into. Tara felt the cold shiver of looking at a reflection before her. Her mind wandered. This woman could have kept driving. She had a choice—just like Tara had—so why didn't she take it? Clearly Maddie knew what she had gotten herself into the moment her eyes saw the cut of Chibs'. Tara wanted to scold her, tell her how foolish she was. Didn't she know how far in she was now? Didn't she know what this club did to people? Did she know those cuts were soaked in blood?

But then she saw the fallen face of Maddie.

She knew.

"Hey," Tara called out softly. Maddie turned to her, eyes tired. "You saved his life, you know?" Tara looked over to Bobby, knowing the words ready to leave her mouth were not of truth. "They'll look out for you now. You took care of theirs, they'll take care of you." Bobby nodded, adding his own words. Tara fought back the distaste on her tongue. The club could protect anyone and everyone all they wanted, people still ended up dead.

Maddie mumbled a thanks, looking to Tara with a puzzled look.

"Tara. Jax's wife."

Maddie nodded. Made sense to her now why Tara was there, wife of the president.

Tara excused herself after a few minutes, saying she was going to find out more about Chibs. After she left, Bobby informed Maddie that Tara was a doctor. Another thing made sense to her; why the Sons had been able to just walk into the patient wing and into Chibs' room.

There were hurried steps outside the room and Bobby walked over towards the door, turning his back to Maddie. The door opened and he spoke to someone. "Got the van out front," the other said to him. Bobby stepped back and the man with the mohawk walked into the room. He was holding a pair of keys in his hands, twisting them back and forth. He gave Maddie a small, sheepish smile.

Bobby beckoned Maddie to stand and join them. As they stepped out into the hall, Maddie wrapped her arms round herself, turning in spot to Chibs' room.

"Some of the guys are gonna stay with him," Bobby told her. Maddie nodded and looked away.

Bobby led the way down the halls, Juice trailed just behind Maddie. She looked over her shoulder to him as they turned a corner. Outside, Bobby headed off to his bike. Juice rushed forward to grab the door to the van and open it for Maddie.

"Juice," he told her, with a small wave while holding the door open for her.

Maddie stood there for a second, looking him over. He looked like he didn't belong there. With the Sons. She did her best to smile. "Madison."

Juice nodded at her, his smile a bit bigger. He closed the door once she was in and rushed over to the driver's side. Once Bobby was out in front of them he started the van and slowly drove off.

Maddie sat loosely in the passenger's seat, leaning against the window. She watched as the taillights of Bobby's motorbike bounced off the asphalt. Juice looked to her from time to time, a frown on his face. He was unsure if he should say anything to her. Wasn't too sure of what to say. He didn't exactly know what to say to someone whose records he just went through. He knew he wasn't the best at keeping things…normal.

He jerked a finger towards the radio. "Want some music?" His fingers reached out to the controls, hovering above them.

Maddie shook her head. "Mostly just commercials nowadays," she said quietly, not turning to look at him.

Juice pulled his hand back slowly. After a thought, he reached into his back pocket, retrieving his iPod. Fiddling with the aux cable and keeping the steering wheel straight, he managed to get it plugged in. He watched Maddie for any reaction as the music came over the speakers; half the time he didn't know what Gogol Bordello was saying. He thought the peculiar gypsy rock music would break the wall around Maddie. If not, at least he had a distraction. After the first song Juice could see Maddie slowly turning her head towards the radio. He couldn't help but smirk.

"Weird, huh?" he said to her.

He had that smile on his face again, eyes flicking from the road to her. Maddie nodded her head slowly. She still said nothing to him, but it was enough for Juice that she had shown some sign of life.

When they reached the clubhouse Maddie was hesitant to step out. The place was dark, shadows thrown across the ground everywhere. Juice was quick to jump out from the van, hopping over to her side and opening the door. Maddie slid out, looking around the lot while Bobby began walking over to them.

"You got her stuff?" Bobby asked Juice, who shook his head, then rushed to Maddie's car, grabbing her backpack from it. He had left everything where he had found it. Chibs' cut was sitting on the bar inside the clubhouse. "This way," Bobby told Maddie, ushering her towards a building. Arms wrapper back round herself, she followed after him. Juice fell in step behind her.

Inside the clubhouse, Maddie walked out from the short hallway to stand in a large opening. Bobby was walking around, flicking lights on left and right. Juice came to stand next to her. He held her backpack in his arms.

Scratching at his head, Bobby began naming things off to Maddie. Showing her where the kitchen was, telling her it'd be best if she didn't go towards this or that room. To stay in the clubhouse. If she needed anything, to let him or Juice know. Both would be staying with her for the evening. He said something about a _Happy_ stopping by soon as well. All Maddie could do was just stand there and let his words slip over her. Standing there, in the middle of a MC, Maddie could feel the overwhelming pressure fall on her. With irony, she felt Like Dorothy. This place was most certainly not Kansas. It wasn't any side of Charming she'd ever known before.

Bobby stopped speaking, his voice fading off, as he turned and looked to Maddie. Juice had stepped away from her, watching her. His face matched Bobby's.

Pity.

She looked like a mouse that had wandered into the lion's den, but if she tried to run out, she'd rush right off the cliff's edge.

"Juice," Bobby said, grabbing his attention. "Show her where she can sleep."

Juice nodded, stepping round to her line of sight. He nodded his head towards a hallway and started walking backwards until she followed after him. His steps would falter, causing her to slow; he was trying to figure out which dorm to put her in. His may have been messy, but he knew it wasn't dirty. He couldn't say the same for the other dorms. He pushed his door in, holding it as she squeezed past him into his room. There were clothes tossed around, empty bottles and cans, but overall the place didn't look bad. Just…untidy. Juice set her backpack on a chair and scurried to gather the clothes, tossing them into a corner. He picked up a trash can, chucking the bottles and cans into it. Looking over to her, he saw Maddie staring at his television set and the Xbox he had sitting next to it.

"I have some games, over there," he told her, pointing to some shelving. "If you play. I got some racing games, uh, Halo. Can play those if you get bored. Just got Left 4 Dead." Sliding past her, he opened the door to his restroom, shutting the door behind him as he cleaned up. Maddie looked up when he opened the door again with a goof of a smile on his face. He held a hand out, the whole restroom deal rather self-explanatory. Maddie nodded and looked away.

Juice's head jerked to the door when he heard someone else enter the clubhouse. It must be Happy. He made for the door.

Seeing his retreating back, panic rose in Maddie. "Where are you going?" she asked, eyes worried. Was he just going to leave her here? Alone?

"I gotta go back to St. Thomas. Get my bike. Me and Bobby won't be long." He opened the door and held a hand out into the hall. "Happy is here. He's gonna stay while we're gone." He waited out in the hall, waiting to see if she would follow or confine herself to his room.

Silently, she joined him in the hall, trailing his shadow as they came out to the bar area. There was another man there with Bobby. His head was bald and skin tan and rough. His arms were covered in tattoos. For a moment her inner voice rose within and she questioned if the man could possibly look less threatening if he smiled. She thought not. Bobby came forward to her.

"This is Happy. He's gonna keep an eye on you till we get back. You need anything just ask him, okay?" Bobby looked to Happy and so did Maddie. Happy nodded to her. "Right, be right back."

Juice followed Bobby out of the clubhouse, looking over his shoulder to Maddie. He gave her a half smile, waving a hand in the air before slipping out the door.

Turning around, Maddie locked eyes for a moment with the man called Happy. Her eyes scanned over him, looking once more over the clubhouse. She was unsure what her next step should be. Whether she should sit out there and wait for them to return or go to the room and try to sleep. Sleep was the last thing she felt she could do at that moment though. Maddie was rattled from her mind when Happy spoke to her.

"Heard you took out the guys try to kill one of my brothers," Happy said to her, nodding his head.

Maddie brushed her hair behind her ears. "Just rammed my car into theirs."

"You hungry?" Happy asked after a moment, still watching her. Maddie shook her head.

She watched him as he pushed himself off from the bar and walked around to the back. He slammed a beer on the counter, pushing it forward. Without much thought, Maddie came and sat on one of the stools, grabbing at the bottle. Happy leaned back, opening a bottle for himself. The two waited there in silence for Bobby and Juice to return.

**Two chapters in one day! Yay! I'm thinking that the chapters may start to get longer as Maddie is immersed further into SAMCRO. **

**Question for you awesome readers : what do you think Chibs' initial reaction is going to be when he meets Maddie? **


	4. Chapter 4

**New chapter time! **

**And, for a bit more clarification, this is taking place at the start of Season 5, during episode 1, although some things are going to be different. Next chapter will also encompass the first episode. If there's anyone reading who has access to the episodes or is just so cool they can give detailed summaries let me know! My internet out in the country is worthless so right now I'm kinda winging it as far as the plot goes. **

**Now, enough rambling, time for the chapter! **

Bobby and Juice returned to the clubhouse after making a stop, per the request of the former. As Bobby pulled in to a gas station Juice remained seated on his bike, brow scrunched. He knew the van didn't need any fuel; he had just filled it up that day. Bobby quietly barked at him to stop just sitting there like an idiot and come with him. Inside the small gas station store Juice trailed after Bobby as he wandered the aisles, muttering to himself. He grabbed a toothbrush and handed it back to Juice. It was then that the young man understood what he was doing; getting essentials for Madison. Bobby handed him a travel-sized tube of toothpaste. Now fully on his toes, Juice slipped past Bobby and went further down the aisle. He grabbed at the first small bottles of shampoo he saw and also at the body wash. Bobby tossed a pack of shaving razors at him. As the two stopped before the feminine hygiene products, neither made to reach out and dare touch anything.

"You think she really needs any of that?" Juice asked quietly, as if the packs of pads and tampons could hear him.

Bobby shook his head, beard waving under his chin. "Let's get her some food."

Juice gladly left the end of the aisle with him. Having a vague idea of what was stocked back at the clubhouse, Bobby filled his arms with a random collection of junk food. The selection at a gas station wasn't the most eclectic, but it'd have to do for the time being. Tossing the bags of items in the passenger seat of the van, Bobby drove off with Juice out in front on the bike.

When they got back to the clubhouse Juice carried the bags in and set them on the pool table. Happy was seated at one of the couches, another cold beer in hand. He pointed towards the hall that led to the dorms. Juice turned back to look at Bobby, unsure of what to do.

"She say anything?" Bobby asked Happy and he shook his head.

"Gave her a beer," he told the two of them. "Finished it, then she went to one of the rooms."

Bobby started from his place at the bar that he had taken. "You check on her?" he asked.

"No need to," Happy informed him. "Girl left the door open."

Bobby picked up the bags from the pool table and headed down the hallway. He slowed and peered in to Juice's dorm to see Maddie seating in a beaten up recliner, staring off at the television set. It was turned on, but the volume was nearly inaudible. He called out to her, telling her he and Juice were back, but she already knew that.

She had heard the clubhouse door open. Out by the bar they had spoken so quietly she couldn't hear them. Except Happy. He didn't bother lowering his voice. Maddie looked up to Bobby as he came in and set the bags on the end of the bed.

"Got you some things," he told her, pointing off vaguely to the bags.

"Thank you," she said to him quietly. She looked over to the bags, rising slowly to look through them.

Bobby silently excused himself, shutting the door behind him. He walked around to the back of the bar and grabbed a beer. Resting a large arm on the counter, he took a deep gulp. Juice was sitting on the pool table, fingers splayed against one another, feet swinging back and forth. Happy rose to toss his empty bottle in the trash. He came and sat at the bar, turning sideways on the stool to face both Bobby and Juice. He didn't say anything, but Bobby knew he was waiting to be filled in on the finer details.

"Was coming back from Stockton," Bobby began, telling Happy of how Madison had come across Chibs and the events at the hospital.

"What was she doing over in Stockton?" Happy asked.

"Goes to school," Juice chimed in, nodding his head. "Master's."

"Everything checks out," Bobby added. "No ties to anyone. Lived here her whole life, just off the radar."

"What's Jax's plan with her?"

Bobby could only shrug. "Till we figure out who went after Chibs, Jax wants Madison under our eyes. This is some serious shit. Can't just let her walk off."

The three continued to speak, running over thoughts of who could have gone after Chibs. All thoughts pointed to Pope. The One-Niners. As the night carried on, the three decided to call an end to their watch. It was time for some sleep. Hap wandered wordlessly to an empty dorm. Bobby headed off towards another. It was then that Juice realized he needed a place to sleep.

Biting his lip, he crept to the back, to his dorm and knocked on the door. When there was no answer he opened it slowly, peeking in. Maddie sat in the recliner, an empty bag of chips in her lap and a half drank soda bottle on the floor. She looked up to him when he opened the door, her face telling him she was waiting for him to say something.

"We're…we're gonna head to bed now." To him, she looked like she was ready to fall asleep, but at the same time, ready to bolt. "You tired?"

Maddie looked down at the half drank soda. "You know that feeling, when your body is exhausted, but your mind just won't shut up?"

Juice nodded, looking like he knew all too well what she meant. "Well…I can stay up with you if you want," he told her, hiding the fact that he was truthfully tired.

Maddie told him no, that she would try to get some sleep. With slight sarcasm she said that it had been a hellish day and Juice smiled and laughed.

"If you need anything, I'm just outside," he said with a hand motion. "Night Maddie." Juice closed the door and left her to herself. He went to sit out in the bar, taking a beer. He let out a deep breath, thinking over the events of the day. If the entire club ever found out about him…and now Chibs…

Juice shuddered.

Quickly downing the beer, he got up and stepped quietly down the hall. He went far enough to see the door to his room. No light shone from underneath it. Madison had gone to bed. Juice made his way back out to the main room. With a sigh, he laid out on one of the couches to try and get some sleep.

He awoke in the morning as his phone went off. The number belonged to Jax.

"How's the girl doing?" he asked Juice.

"Fine, fine." Juice rubbed at his eyes. "Hasn't said much. How's Chibs doing man?"

"Woke up a while ago, head all fucked up from the painkillers. Doc's checking him out right now. Gonna need you guys to bring the girl in. We gotta get this shit sorted."

"Right, yeah. I'll tell the others."

Juice hung up and slowly stood from the couch. He went to wake Bobby who groaned and mumbled what did not appear to be words at him. As he went to knock on Happy's door, Happy opened said door, fully dressed and ready to go. Juice blinked and then continued walking down the hall. He knocked and entered his room carefully. Madison was still asleep under the covers, burrowed deep within them. He walked to the end of the bed and shook at what looked to be the outline of one of her feet.

"Jax wants us all at the hospital. Chibs is awake," he told her as she raised her head and saw him. "You don't have to rush," he added. "Just, wanted to let you know." He backed out of the room and closed the door.

Maddie sat up in the bed, covers pooling around her. It took her only a few seconds to regain her bearings and recall why she was this particular bed. In this particular room, clubhouse. She nodded to herself, brushing the loose strands of hair from her face. Bobby and Juice had gotten her a small package of ponytail bands. She walked to the bathroom, picking through one of the shopping bags. As she prepared herself, she kept her gaze from the mirror. From the corner of her eyes she could see herself there in the reflection and no matter where she turned, that distortion of herself followed. Maddie bent over to spit the toothpaste from her mouth. As she came back up, wiping at her mouth, her eyes fell on the stains on her jeans. Chibs' blood was still present on the fabric, dried and darkened. She set the toothbrush on the counter as she made herself breath steadily.

A knock vibrated through the door and Maddie turned from her spot in the restroom. She waited for Juice to come in, but he didn't. With soft steps she went to the door and opened it, finding Bobby standing there instead. He had turned, looking down the hall. When she opened the door he looked back to her, holding something out to her.

"Figured you'd want to wear something else. They're clean. Sorry if everything's a bit big."

Maddie took the jeans, belt, and shirt from Bobby with a nod. "Thanks." She closed the door and set the clothes on the edge of the bed. She pulled the jeans out, holding them up. Slipping into them she found a good two inches of excess waistline. She reached for the belt, beginning to loop it through. Looking down at the bunched fabric Maddie thought at least the shirt was long enough to cover it up. She peeled the nurse's scrub off and grabbed the shirt. Unfolding it she saw the faint print of a reaper on the faded black background. She didn't even care to think on how ironic it was. Unsure of what to do with the discarded clothing, Maddie picked them up and placed them next to a trashcan.

As she came out from the hallway, the three men were waiting around the bar. Bobby led the way outside, telling Maddie a little of the news from the hospital.

"Chibs woke up. Jax wants us all there. Won't take long."

Bobby told Juice to take the van with Maddie. As he headed towards his bike, he slapped him on the arm, telling him to see if Maddie wanted something for breakfast, to get something for her. She waited inside the van while Juice stopped at a coffee shop and ran in. When he had pulled up, she made to get out, hand reaching to a back pocket. And then she remembered. These weren't her clothing. Her wallet still sat somewhere in her backpack. Juice shook a hand, telling her it was no problem. Maddie hung her head, nodding, climbing back into the van. She sipped slowly from the cup of coffee he gave her and took small bites from the muffin he'd brought her as well.

As Juice pulled into the parking lot of St. Thomas Maddie began looking around eagerly. Any large, dark car caught her attention. Juice killed the engine and leaned forward, rubbing his hands on his jeans. He saw the collection of bikes off to the side. He looked to her sheepishly.

"Ready?" She shook her head. "…Could say you kicked me out, took off in the van." He smiled when her shoulders shook from a quiet laugh.

She turned to the line of bikes to their right. "Doubt I'd get very far." Juice shook his head.

With Bobby and Happy walking towards them, Juice and Maddie got out from the van, coming to stand in front of it. Bobby lightly patted Maddie on the shoulder.

"Jax has some news on that SUV from last night," he told her and Juice.

"Are they dead? Did…Did I kill them?" Maddie asked hesitantly.

Bobby didn't answer her, saying instead that they should head inside and see how Chibs was doing. "Think he owes you a 'thank you.'"

Juice was picking up the rear of the group as they entered the hospital, but stopped when his phone rang. Bobby and Happy stopped, one in front and one behind Maddie. They turned and waited for Juice to get off the phone.

"Clay," Juice said to them.

"Meet back at the clubhouse. Probably heading to chapel today," Bobby told him.

"What about Chibs?" Juice asked with a bit of apprehension.

Bobby shook his head and waved a hand at him. "Gemma's coming by later. She'll drive him back." He looked over at Maddie. "Madison too."

Maddie watched as Juice nodded to Bobby, turned his gaze on to her and gave a small smile. Then he was gone, going back out to the van.

As Happy led the way to the wing of the hospital Chibs was in, Maddie knew exactly when they had reached the right room. Outside was a small sea of black cuts. Reapers on the back of every one. As they approached, Maddie slowed down and on instinct crossed her arms, making herself as small as possible. Standing before them, in borrowed clothes, with their reaper across her chest, Maddie felt like _sacrilege _was stamped on her skin. _Outsider_.

She turned her head quickly as the door to the hospital room opened and Jax came out. He nodded to Bobby and Happy, then looked to Maddie. He gave a smile that lacked the reassurance that normally came with a smile. He showed the group to a room just down the hall, a waiting room for family and friends of patients. Happy remained back, going into the room with Chibs. Bobby walked along side Maddie, holding the door open as she entered the waiting room.

Not knowing if she should sit, if it would make any difference, Maddie walked until she reached a corner of the room. When she turned, Bobby was not there at her side. There stood a tall, large man instead. He wore a beanie over his head, his blonde hair just past his shoulders and a beard to match it. Maddie felt the urge to shrink away, but for all his portentousness, his eyes gave her second thought. There was something wrong with them. They did not match the reaper on his back. They didn't fit. And strangely, something in her felt like she belonged there, next to him. Like they both belonged there in the corner.

Opie sat down next to the girl, giving her a half smile, as if he was saying with that smile _yeah, I know, sucks to be here_.

Maddie was pulled from her thoughts as Jax spoke, his back against the door.

"This is Madison. Saved our Sergeant at Arms last night." He looked down at her from the tip of his nose, head raised. His eyes then looked over the Sons gathered in the room with them. Some looked at Maddie and nodded, giving a silent thanks. Others just looked at her.

"So what we gonna do about this?" a man asked, sounding like he just wanted to get out of that room. Go and shoot someone. And he looked like he'd have no problem pulling a trigger. His scraggly black hair gave Maddie the impression of a mad scientist. Or just someone that was mad. "It's obvious this shit was One-Niners." He scoffed, muttering. "Fuckin' Niners."

Jax looked to another Son; Tig needed to be kept calm. Things would get nowhere with him scaring the shit out of Madison. "You guys track down the SUV?" Jax asked a man Maddie had heard referred to as Filthy Phil back in the hallway. He was much larger than her, could sit on her and flatten her. His hair was a curly mess atop his head.

"Wasn't there. Saw where it went off the road," he answered. "Got Chibs' bike from the cops." A few of the Sons cursed. Opie asked if there was anything of worth to them left at the area. "Nothing. Officer Friendlies didn't seem too concerned."

Tig shook his head and huffed. "Fucking bastards shot at an innocent!" he jabbed a hand towards Maddie and the others slowly looked over to her. "And they don't give a fuck?" Tig looked over to Jax. "Jax, brother…"

"I know, a'ight? Look, set up a meeting with the Niners. We're gonna talk to Pope, figure this shit out." He looked over to Maddie before turning back to the Sons. "Till then, Madison is under our protection. I don't want her going anywhere without a Son at her back."

The group nodded, each rising in their own time and leaving the room. Maddie hung back, seeing that Bobby hadn't gotten up and neither had Opie. With the others gone, Jax closed the door and turned back to her.

"We're gonna have to go check out your home. If those guys got your plate numbers, they know where you live. If not, they know what you look like and it's only a matter of time before they run into you." Maddie nodded at Jax's words. He jerked his head to Opie. "That's Opie." He began telling her the names of the others with quick descriptions. She did her best to try and remember them all.

"So…how long before this all blows over?" she asked. But no one could answer her.

"After we talk to Pope," Jax said. "Things should go back to normal for you after that."

Maddie shook her head, a ghost of a smirk on her lips. She looked to each of the men. "There isn't any 'normal' after this, is there?"

"There can be," Opie spoke up next to her, gazing at his boots on the floor. He turned and looked over to her, then to Jax. "We'll fix this."

"Yeah," added Jax, quietly.

There was a knock at the door and Tara stuck her head in. She wore a white coat and held a chart with papers. She waved it in the air. "Chibs is being discharged today. He can leave after lunch. Scans came back from his head, all clear."

The men smiled. Jax headed for the door. "Come on," he said to Maddie. "Time for Chibs to meet his savior." The others chuckled.

The other Sons had left. All that remained were Jax, Bobby, and Opie. Happy and Tig had returned to the clubhouse, along with a few of the others. Jax had told them to track down that SUV. If needed, they could get Juice to hack into one of the street cameras; there were only so many routes the SUV could have taken off of that road. They might get lucky and catch them on one.

Tara had them wait outside while another doctor was in with Chibs; Maddie could vaguely hear him rattling off. Take things easy. Don't get the sutures wet. No straining. While they stood out in the hallway, the _click_ of boots could be heard coming towards them. Following reflexes, Maddie turned to look upon the end of the hall.

The woman had a look on her face as if she wouldn't think twice about challenging the world. The scar in the middle of her chest suggested that she had already done some challenging. The woman was a good foot taller than Maddie and as she approached Maddie felt consumed by her shadow.

Gemma looked directly at Jax. "How is he?" she asked, trying to look through the closed blinds to the room Chibs was in.

"Good," Jax told her, leaning in to give his mother a hug and kiss. He nodded to Tara. "They're letting him go today."

Gemma barely looked to Tara. "Good." Feeling someone standing on her shadow, she turned and faced Maddie. "So you're the one, huh?" She raised a brow and studied Maddie from head to toe.

"Madison," she answered.

"Well," Gemma started, still looking over the girl. _Tiny little thing, bet there are twigs that break slower than she would._ "You saved his life, unlike his brothers," she criticized, eyeing Jax. Gemma leaned in to hug Maddie to her with one arm. Every word and action cried of endearment and gratefulness, but was laced with a farce. "What the hell was he doing out on his own?" she asked Jax, pulling from Maddie and resting a hand on her hip. "Huh?"

Jax wouldn't let her start anything, there out in the hall. He ignored her questions. "Need you take Chibs back to the clubhouse. And Madison. Can you do that?"

Gemma scoffed. "Yeah, I can do that." She sighed, pulling her keys out from her purse. "Can he go now?" she asked Tara, though it sounded like she didn't much care to hear any answer aside from 'yes.'

Knowing not to get in to anything, Tara relented and said yes. She left to prepare the paperwork that would need to be sorted out and signed.

Gemma walked off, saying she'd bring the car out front.

When the doctor what was inside with Chibs finally left, Bobby caught the door, holding it open. He nodded to Chibs who sat on the side of the hospital bed, in clean clothes. The bandages had been removed from his head and he could feel where the stitches were over his scalp. Jax walked in first, smirking to him. Opie came in behind him, saying he looked like crap. Chibs raised a hand and flipped him off.

He looked past the two to still see Bobby holding the door open. He watched as a shadow appeared first and then this little body came forward, head down, over the threshold.

**And I end it right there! Bam! I'm evil! Hehe, was going to keep writing, and then decided to be evil. But in the next chapter we'll finally see Chibs and Maddie formally meet. **

**Send in your reviews! They're like cookies! When I get reviews, it's like eating lots of cookies filled with sugar! And sugar means I get hyper! And being hyper means I write and post new chapters faster! So go! Post reviews (: **


	5. Chapter 5

**New chapter! **

She had slid her hands into the pockets of the jeans she wore. They hung low, as did the shirt. As she first entered the room, her head was lowered, but Chibs could see her peeking out from under her brow until at last she raised her head fully. Nothing stood out about her to him. Her skin was fair, a faint light to it. There was nothing striking about her face; her lips were slightly pronounced and her eyes matched her hair. The color of burnt bark. Nearly black. She had pulled her hair down, it resting just a few inches past her shoulders, as if it was some sort of shield for her.

Though the clothes weren't overly huge on her, to Chibs it looked like she was drowning in them. Perhaps it was the reaper across her chest that made it appear so. Maddie took a few more steps inside and then stopped.

Jax smiled smugly towards Chibs. "Here's the girl that saved your ass. This is Madison. Madison, Chibs."

It wasn't as if she was seeing him for the first time. She had dragged his ass out of a ditch. But seeing him, awake, that was something new. Maddie realized she hadn't once given herself a chance to question who exactly this man was that she had saved. May have registered the kutte he was wearing when she found him, but her mind was just a bit too occupied with the fact that the guy was lying in a ditch with a bullet in his side. She was reminded faintly of Happy as she looked at Chibs. His face was void of expression, but there was the slight hint of anger underneath. For a worried moment, Maddie questioned if it was directed at her. Was this biker actually angry that a woman had saved his life?

The corner of Chib's mouth quirked up, bringing Maddie's attention to his scars. They became more evident to her. Chibs looked back over to Jax, pushing himself a bit further off the edge of the bed, hands gripping at the sides. His boot-clad feet were planted firmly on the floor. The bottoms of his jeans were scrunched up around the base them. He turned slowly, reaching behind him pick up his kutte; Bobby had grabbed it before they left the clubhouse. Chibs shrugged carefully into it, underneath wearing a similar dark undershirt and button-up.

"Niners couldn' handle this little thing?" he asked Jax, still smirking. The three men shared in a laugh, but Maddie only upturned a corner of her mouth, her face showing laughter, but her eyes remaining dim. Straightening his kutte Chibs raised his head slightly to her. "Yeh did some quick thinking out there."

Maddie shook her head a bit. "Don't think I did much thinking at all really."

Opie chuckled. "Man, that just puts you even more in her debt."

"Hey," Jax countered, "we're all in her debt." The men could not deny that.

Chibs' doctor came back in to the room, the paperwork ready to go. Chibs grumbled as the doctor spoke of some random things. He scribbled his signature wherever it was needed and tossed the clipboard and papers onto the bed. The doctor picked it up and left the room.

Maddie took a step back as Chibs rose from the hospital bed. He noticed how she kept her head down a bit, but still watched him and the others with hooded eyes. Walking down the hallways, he kept an eye on her, walking at Bobby's side. He and Jax were at the back of the pack, Opie leading the way. He had already been told all there was to know about Maddie and everything that had happened while he was blacked out.

"What's the plan Jackie-boy?" he had asked Jax when he first woke and learned what had gone down.

"Deal with the Niners. And clear our debt to her."

Gemma was waiting for them outside in her suburban. She finished off a cigarette as they came out from the doors. She climbed out from the driver's seat, walking round to gingerly hug Chibs. "It'll take more than tha' ta kill me," he told her.

"Let's get you home."

Maddie sat in the backseat, eyes staring wonderingly outside the window as everything passed by. Gemma was chiding Chibs, telling him he needed to be more careful. To not ride out on his own. How she needed to know that someone was watching out for her son's ass and Chibs couldn't do that if he was laying out in some ditch.

"You're supposed to be looking out for my baby. And this little thing had to save _your _ass," she said, looking up into the rearview mirror and smiling ironically.

The more she heard it, the more she came to dislike it. How the Sons _owed her_. How they were in debt to her. She kindly smiled in return to Gemma. Looking for a moment into the driver's side mirror, Maddie saw Chibs was watching her. She returned her gaze to the streets passing her by. The longer she looked outside, the more she slipped away from what the other two were talking about. None of it sounded like anything that she shouldn't be privy to, but she wanted little to do with it either way. As they drove through Charming, Maddie looked upon things from behind the windows of a luxury suburban. The car was much nicer than hers. She'd never had a new car of her own. She felt nothing fanciful though while cushioned in the seat. The treatment she was receiving, call it guarding her, protecting her, whatever label one wished. It all should have brought her comfort, relief. To know that there was someone—a group of someones—looking out for her.

Maddie felt very, very alone.

She knew they were staring at her through the mirrors, but she wouldn't look back up at them.

Reaching the clubhouse, Maddie stepped out from the suburban, closing the door gently and remaining back as other members of the club came forward, all welcoming Chibs back. Gemma stood at the front of the hood, leaning slightly on it, watching the whole thing. She turned to take a glance at Maddie. The girl still hadn't moved. She could see her eyes ghosting over the group in the parking lot. Someone in the group must have mentioned her name for her head snapped to attention. Chibs and a few of the others had turned and were watching her. That was when Bobby stepped out from the group and waved a hand at her.

She walked up to the men, many of them stepping back and heading off in various directions. Back to whatever they were doing before the arrival of Chibs. Maddie turned back once when she heard Gemma start the engine and drive off. Her eyes came back to the ground. Bobby was standing next to a taller man, of a stature similar to Opie's, though he appeared much older. And he looked worn out.

He was introduced as Clay, father to Jax. Step-father. He didn't say much to her. In his head he was much too busy looking her over. Trying to figure her out. He must have been thinking the same thing as the others. _This thing shook off the Niners_?

As the group headed into the clubhouse, Bobby pulled Maddie aside. "We're gonna have a meeting, talk some things out. Might be a while."

Maddie nodded in understanding. She looked over towards the hallway that led to the dorms. "I'll just go wait in…Juice's room," she told Bobby and he agreed that it was a good idea. He told her that if she needed anything, to just ask one of the prospects. Told her how to figure out who was a prospect. Was rather obvious. He then told the prospects to do or get whatever Maddie may need.

She waited by the bar, watching as the men piled into this room that she had heard some refer to as Chapel. Church. She shut her mind off before she could begin to question what it could possibly mean. Walking slowly from the bar, she passed through the hall until she reached Juice's room. Stopping in the doorway, she saw him in there, again tidying things up.

He stopped soon as she appeared, smiling and looking down at the things in his hands. He opened a dresser drawer, stuffing a few shirts inside. From the edge of the bed he picked up a stack of plastic cases.

"Brought some other games." He turned them over so he could take a look at the covers. "Got some old school ones. Dug out my Nintendo," Juice said with a nerdish smile. He looked over his shoulder to the N64, two controllers and cords wrapped up next to it. "Have Mario Kart. If you wanna play it."

"Juice! Get your ass out here!" a man yelled from another part of the clubhouse. Maddie thought perhaps it was the one called…Tig?

Startling, Juice dropped the games back on the bed and quickly excused himself, head down as he passed her by to rush out and join the others in Church.

At first Maddie simply sat on the edge of bed, fingers fiddling, tapping at her knees. She leaned over slightly, resting her elbows on her thighs. Many minutes couldn't have gone by before she was standing up, walking over to the gaming systems, flicking on the television. Crouching, she undid the cords and set the N64 up. She slowly backed up, sitting on the bed again, controller in hand as the graphics for Mario Kart came on the screen. She was interrupted once, when a prospect came by, knocking on the doorframe and asking if she needed anything. He appeared very concerned if there was anything she needed. Or wanted. Again, she stopped her mind from wondering too much on things. When the prospect left, she got up and closed the door.

No one else came and bothered her once that door was shut.

There were pauses in between where Maddie would sit there, waiting for the game to load, and her mind would begin to slip, bored from being filled with nothingness. She started with simply looking around. She hadn't really stopped to inspect Juice's dorm. She could very well see it, but didn't take any of it in, aside from the fact that Juice was not one for tidiness. She doubted that any of the men there were. Beginning to take in the mess and generic look of the room, Maddie felt like she was in an actual dorm. And then that feeling started to fade. Pictures…there weren't any pictures. No framed photos of any sort. Not even of family. The only thing to hang from the walls was a black flag with the Sons logo on it over the bed. Over on his desk she spotted a laptop. There was a printer stashed underneath the desk. Random bits of paper were tossed around, some stacked up on the edge next to the laptop. Though it was all a mess, everything seemed to fit. Maddie expected this; they were like a their own little army, weren't they? Everything uniform.

The game started up. Maddie's thoughts disappeared as she focused on the screen, doing everything she could to not wonder what was being said in that small room.

SoA SoA SoA SoA

The doctors had given Chibs one last dosage before letting him out from the hospital and it was beginning to kick in as he sat at the table, listening to Jax. He rested a hand over his side, where the stitches were.

"This deal with the Niners, it's gotta be sorted out. Now," Jax was saying. "First the cocaine, and now they go after Chibs? _And _attack an innocent."

"We certain it was the Niners?" asked Clay from the other side of the table, leaning back in his chair, tapping a finger softly on the table.

"Who the fuck else would come after us right now?" Jax questioned. He looked to Juice, wanting to know if there had been any luck on tracking down the SUV.

Juice averted his eyes, saying no. "Checked the traffic cams in the area. Nothing." A short silence filled the room and he bit the inside of his lower lip.

"We chased their nigger asses off," Tig began. "Hurt their little feelings, and the fuckers were dumb enough to come after us."

"If we don't end this now, we lose Romeo. If shit goes down one more time, deal's off with them. And that was said _before_ the attack on Chibs." The table nodded at Jax's comment. "We arrange a meet with Pope. Tell him to get his boys in line."

"And the girl?" Tig asked.

Clay chimed in as well. "What's going to be done about her? She just gonna shack up here? Can't have some outsider just wandering around."

"Girl isn't wandering round," Bobby told him. He jerked a finger to Juice. "Juice has the cleanest room. Madison's been staying in there. The girl keeps to herself. She's scared, alright?"

Others began speaking up regarding Maddie. Some believed she had earned the right to be there, for the time being. That they had a duty to look out for her, for the time being. Others wanted her out as soon as possible.

Chibs looked to Jax. Both men were quiet as the others argued. Bobby and Opie had begun to raise their voices in favor of Maddie. Chibs felt a need to speak up, to speak in favor of keeping Maddie under their protection for now. The club owed her a favor. Just sending her off or putting in the bare minimum for her would be shit. It didn't sit perfectly well with him that this girl had been the one to save his ass, but the fact remained; he was alive. Regardless of who she was, Chibs was indebted to her.

"Hey. Hey! 'ey!" he shouted, slamming a fist on the table. As the others quieted Chibs rubbed a hand over his face, taking in a hissing breath. "Seeing as how it was my life tha' was saved, think I get top voice on this matter."

No one challenged him.

"What's your call?" asked Bobby.

"Look out for the girl, cut 'er loose when the shit's sorted." With a careful movement, Chibs leaned back in the chair.

Jax watched Clay, waiting to see if he would raise a new challenge. The man shrugged to him. "Right then," said Jax. "Girl stays in our protection till this crap with the Niners is over with." He paused. "We fix her car up, thing is shot to hell. Give her some money and send her on her way."

Bobby felt like a broken record, backing Jax up. "There's nothing to worry about with her. She won't go running off to the cops. Cops have done shit for her so far anyways. She won't be a problem."

"So what, we leave her here at the clubhouse? Have the prospects babysit her all day?" Clay asked. He sounded resigned to the club protecting Maddie, but still his questions, his challenges came. He held his hands up in defense. "Just trying to think straight here. Do we really want her here? With everything hanging over this club, we want her this close?"

"I've got room at my place," Bobby said.

"Me too," said Opie.

Juice nodded, looking hesitantly around the table and raised his hand. He could room her as well.

"Aye," Chibs spoke up. "My arse she saved, I got room for her too." He owed her a debt he thought. His mind wouldn't let go of the thought.

A moment went by where no one argued with those who had spoken. And then Opie added, "Girl wasn't meant for this. Soon as she can, she tuck tail and run, and forget about all this. She's no threat to us."

Jax straightened a bit in his chair. "We deal with the Niners, end this shit. Till then, Madison is under our protection. We're in her debt. When the time comes, we send her off. Take it to a vote?" One by one, the Sons voted _yay_. Jax nodded. "Opie's right, Madison doesn't belong here. She's a threat to none of us. Wherever we put her for now, girl ain't gonna go snooping into our shit. Since last night she's been hiding out in Juice's room. She ain't looking to get into this world. We leave it to her to choose where she wants to stay. We give her the choice," Jax said to those that had volunteered their homes. Chibs should have been the one to take Maddie in, but with the girl in a state of house arrest it seemed best to let her have this choice. "Vote?" The group voted _yay._

The gravel slammed against the wood, thickly echoing in the room.

"We got one more matter to take care of," Jax said. "The nomads." He nodded over to Filthy Phil. "Bring them in."

SoA SoA SoA SoA

Voices slowly filled the clubhouse and filtered down to the dorm where Maddie sat, numbly playing the video game. With a cautious look to the door, she set the controller down, turning the system off along with the television. She stood from the bed and went to sit in the recliner. She could hear footsteps approaching.

The next moment there was a knock at the door and Jax began opening it. At first poking his head in, when he spotted Maddie in the recliner he stepped fully in, leaving the door open. Bobby and Chibs were close behind him. Getting the feeling that having the three of them standing there was overpowering, Jax took a few steps to sit on the corner of the bed. "Club's gonna keep an eye on you," he began telling her. "The guys that came after you, we're gonna sort that out. Tomorrow." The meet had been set up soon as Church was over. Maddie looked between the three men, and then nodded. Looking around Juice's room, Jax gave Maddie a lopsided smile. "This place isn't exactly spacious. If you want, some of the others have offered up room and board to you," he told her. "Your choice. Can stay here or take one of them up on their offer."

Maddie looked from Jax to Bobby and Chibs, her stare short on the latter. "How long do I have to stay…with the club?"

Jax wasted no time in answering her. "You'll probably be a free woman after tomorrow."

She stared around Juice's room. "I can just stay here then. If it isn't for much longer."

"Fine by us" Jax told her. "We've got some things to take of, so…if you need anything, just let one of us know." Maddie nodded. "I'll have one of the guys head out later and get you something for lunch."

Jax and Bobby left the room, leaving Chibs standing off to the side. With a straight back to ease the ache in his side, he came and took the spot on the bed Jax had vacated. For a few seconds he just looked at Maddie.

"Thank yeh," he said to her, catching her line of sight. "Couldn' have been easy, dragging my ass outta that ditch."

Maddie cracked a smile at his insult to himself. She shook her head. "Should have seen me trying to get you in the car," she remarked, recalling the strain in her muscles from the task.

Chibs chuckled, still wary of his side. He rose, wanting to get outside to the garage. To hell with the doctor's orders, he wanted to see the damage to his bike and get to work on repairing it. He looked down at Maddie and saw the swift passing of quiet panic over her face. He nodded his head out to the hallway. "Gonna take a look at me bike. Be out in the garage, if yeh need anythin'." She nodded at this, giving him a flat smile. He did what he could to return the smile.

He was out in the main of the clubhouse, exchanging a few words with others before heading outside, when he turned and saw Maddie coming out from the hallway. Hands in her back pockets, she walked up to the bar. One of the prospects was quick to jump to her, asking what she needed. She asked, "Is there any aspirin anywhere?" Staring at the television screen had done her head in a bit.

Smirking at the terror on the prospect's face, Chibs began walking over to Maddie. He called out to her, tapping her arm and beckoned her to follow him. With quick steps to catch up with him, Maddie followed Chibs back down the hall. She stopped outside what was his room as he opened the door. She was not surprised to see that his dorm was close in appearance to Juice's. His was neater though. But also more cramped. Aside from the chair, bed, desk, dresser drawer, and television, there was also a small refrigerator and microwave. Up against a wall was a large, black chest with a slew of faded stickers on it.

Rummaging through a shelf, Chibs picked out a small bottle and walked it over to Maddie, dropping it in to her waiting hands. He followed her out slowly back to the bar where a prospect handed her a soda. She came and handed the bottle back to Chibs, but he shook a hand, saying one dose was never enough.

Maddie gave him a faded smile, nodding. And then walked away, back to Juice's room.

With a resigning sigh Chibs turned and headed outside. It was going to be a long day.

**And there we have it! Not a very eventful meeting for Chibs and Maddie, then again Maddie isn't exactly ecstatic to be at the clubhouse (: She'd much rather have this whole thing over with and go back home, but do not worry my readers! That's going to begin to change very soon, like in the next chapter haha. Because come on, we all know it isn't just that easy to walk away from the Sons. **

**As a side note, this does take place during Season 5, but as I'm sure many have noticed, not everything from that season is being brought up in this story. For the most part, if something that occurred in the season isn't mentioned in this story, that's because I'm pretty much just ignoring it. Some things I will just be skimming over, like the Nomads; they don't pertain to Maddie's story much, so I'm not going to be writing much about them. So anything that is brought up that happened during Season 5 is going to be from Maddie's perspective; on some matters there'll be a lot of discussion and on others it'll only be written in passing.**

**Also, there may end up being some bits included in this story where neither Maddie or Chibs are present for the particular scene. It'll just be setup for something later. So if you read a section and you're left thinking, "What the hell is the point of this?" don't fret, there is a reason for everything (: **

**Now that I have all that out of the way, time for questions! Time to get your input in! **

**Was there anything, any event, etc, from Season 5 that you feel must ABSOLUTELY be included in this story? Anything you feel should NOT be included? Also, any particular situations you'd like to see or think Maddie should be placed in, regardless of whether or not it's something that actually happened this season? **

**There it is, thanks for reading, reviewing, faving! **

**Be sure to leave your new reviews and get your ideas in!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Bam! Another chapter! **

**Wanted to get another chapter posted since tomorrow I'm going to be slaving away in the kitchen baking all day.**

Time felt frozen within the room and Maddie fought the itch to get out of there. She had sat down and began playing on the gaming consoles. When she tired of it, she rummaged through the bags Bobby and Juice had brought her, snacking on the various foods. She emptied out one bag, stuffing her trash inside it and setting the bag next to the already full trashcan. Walking into the bathroom, Maddie scanned over it, opening the cabinets under the sink. There were no towels. A small hamper was in a corner over by the bed, next to the dresser. A few towels were on the top. Maddie eyed them suspiciously. They were loosely folded up and they looked unused. But she wasn't anywhere near comfortable enough to use one. Maddie thought of looking in the dresser, thinking that Juice would not be angry with her if she did so—she was just looking for a towel. The memory of the other night was still on her and she wanted to wash it off. That was the moment when she chided herself. There was nothing clean for her to change into. Someone might be able to round up more clothes for her, but she doubted the same could be said for some underwear and a bra…well maybe it could, but Maddie wasn't about to accept those. Not even after dunking them in bleach.

Wanting to take a shower.

Home. It reminded her of home. And just like that, Maddie wanted to go home.

She'd settle for going for only a moment. To collect a bag of clothes. That would be enough for her.

Maddie looked at the time, pulling out her phone from her backpack, sighing as she glanced over the textbooks there. Looked like she'd be missing class tomorrow. Whatever; at that moment she just wanted to go home, to have some semblance of a normal day. It was past noon. She wondered if that lunch Jax had mentioned would be coming soon. Chucking the phone back into her backpack, Maddie rose and headed towards the door.

Admittedly, Chibs was a bit shocked to see Maddie come out into the garage. She hadn't come straight there from the dorms. She slowly wandered through the clubhouse, stopping at the bar to just sit and twist side to side on the stool. She had asked a prospect for another soda. She did not notice Happy passing by from the dorms. He snapped at the prospect, telling him to give Maddie a beer. She never saw him crack a smile. He didn't give her a nod. Just looked at her. Maddie took the beer without question, took a quick swig, and slipped off the stool.

She stood at the doorway, at first just looking around, beer in hand by her side. Chibs was finishing up the work on his bike. Far as it looked to Maddie, he was twisting and cranking bits with a stash of tools. She hadn't a clue what was going on.

He turned away from her, walking over to put a few tools away. When he returned, Maddie was standing over by the bike, staring over it. "Was it bad?" she asked.

Chibs shook his head. "Better shape than me," he told her, wiping his hands on a rag. He watched her looking over the bike, a single wrinkle between her brow. "Know anything 'bout bikes?"

Maddie looked quickly up to him. "They have two wheels."

Chibs laughed at her comment, and then brought a hand to his side. With a quirk of her mouth, Maddie handed the beer over to him. _Painkillers and beer are always the best_ she thought. As he handed her the bottle back, Maddie turned to look out the garage. A motorcycle had started up. She watched as Happy drove off the lot. Taking a further look around she asked, "Where does everyone go?" She had to think for a moment. "Opie, the others?"

"Not all anarchy and bikes, love. Still have bills to pay," Chibs told her. "Most of us work 'ere." Maddie looked out the garage again. There was a fair amount of cars sitting in the lot, all waiting to be repaired. "Saw your car in the back," Chibs added.

"Is it fucked?" Maddie asked, taking the last swig from the beer.

Chibs shrugged at her. "It's pretty fuckin' bad." Maddie cracked a small smile and Chibs caught the small presence of dimples. Maddie asked sardonically if they had any cars for sale on the lot. "Jax says we're gonna fix it up for yeh."

Maddie's eyes widened slightly. "That thing…it's pretty fucking bad," she said, repeating Chibs' words.

But Chibs shook his head, placing the last of the tools away. "Least we can do for yeh."

Remembering how she was beginning to dislike hearing that, Maddie resigned herself to nodding. She quietly told him, "Thank you."

Chibs leaned against the worktable, elbows planted loosely on it. He looked down to Maddie who had taken a step back, sitting on a metal folding chair someone had dragged just inside the garage.

Chibs asked where she was heading the other night, when she came across him. "Uh, home. Home." She turned the empty beer bottle in her hands, pushing a strand of hair behind an ear.

"Comin' back from Stockton?"

Maddie nodded. "I go to school there." Chibs asked what she was studying. For his part, he actually sounded interested. Maddie partly knew he was just making small talk, being polite, but still, she was glad to have something to do other than sit in Juice's room. "Classical Studies." Chibs raised a brow. "Ancient Rome, Greece. Etruscans." Maddie chuckled and shook her head, twisting her feet on the ground. "I know, it's stupid. I screwed myself over." She looked outside the garage, back to the cars, the other mechanics, the customers. "University is…overrated. Just going for a B.A. isn't enough anymore. Can't do shit with it. So you turn back around and go in for a Masters, if you're hopeless, a Doctorate. All to pay the bills. And there still end up being high school dropouts making more money than you."

Chibs shifted his weight. "Then why yeh still going, pay the bills some other way." He looked over to his bike. "Be a mechanic," he told her with a smirk.

"Or," Maddie said, pointing a finger, "or I could be a bodyguard."

"Aye, rescue old bastards that fall off their bikes."

"Would it be possible," Maddie began, thinking now was the best time to ask, since Chibs seemed to not be bothered by her, "to go to my house?" She could see the distaste rise on Chibs' face. "I just want to take a shower…and get some clothes that are my own." She looked down at the shirt and jeans. "I don't even know who these belong to."

Chibs nodded after thinking it over, then motioned to the shirt. "That's mine, don' know about those." He crossed his arms. "Yeh live with anyone?" Maddie shook her head. "I'll call Jax. Let him know we're heading over there. How far yeh live from here?"

"Twenty minutes maybe." Chibs told her to go grab any things she had with her back in Juice's room while he called Jax. Maddie returned to the garage with a small purse in hand. Chibs returned from his dorm a few seconds later, adjusting his kutte.

Not knowing where he had come from, Maddie saw Tig walking towards them. He slapped his hands together, grinning and looking to her and Chibs. "We ready kids?" he waved a set of keys in his hand. It came back to Maddie then that the men that attacked her could have gone to her house. She did her best to smile at Tig and follow after Chibs towards a car that was parked near the back. It was a small dark blue compact car. Maddie didn't bother with asking whom it belonged to.

Tig opened the back door, ushering Chibs in. "Come on crippled."

"Fuck off," Chibs muttered, lowering himself with a caution into the backseat.

Tig laughed him off, slamming the door and walking around to the other side. Maddie opened the passenger door and slid in, slowly buckling the seatbelt as Tig flopped into the driver's seat, adjusting it before closing the door. "Alright sweetie," he said to Maddie, "lead the way." He started the engine and pulled out from the lot, taking her directions.

Tig was chewing away at a piece of gum, turning his head from time to time towards Maddie, asking her questions. He wasn't completely comfortable with the club having Maddie so close to them, but reminded himself that it was only for a few days and then she'd be out of their hair. Though he had learned during the meeting everything there was to know about her, he continued with his questions, shooting one off right after another. _You from Chariming? Yeah? Where are the parentals? Why you live alone? Got a big house? You drive everyday to Stockton? Educated girl, huh? Got a boyfriend?_

"Tigger!" Chibs warned from the backseat, kicking Tig's with his foot.

"What? What?" Tig pressed a hand to his chest. "I'm just asking the girl a question, I'm entitled to questions, aren't I?" Maddie was looking out the side window, hiding a smile. There was a strange calming effect to Tig, his apparent lack of social norms lightened the mood. He kept quiet for a moment before turning back to Maddie. "How old are you?"

Again, Chibs kicked his seat. Tig held a hand up innocently.

"I'm twenty-six," Maddie said, rubbing at her arm.

"That's good," Tig responded in a quiet tone. Maddie shook her head, smiling again. As they neared her neighborhood, Tig asked another question. "Hey, did they have any dildos in Rome?" This time, Chibs reached forward to slap Tig across the head and Maddie couldn't keep from laughing out loud. She turned in her seat to look at Chibs, still laughing. He shook his head, still glaring at Tig. "It's a question! I am just socializing with my new friend."

As they turned onto her street, Maddie cleared her throat. "They had dildos back then," she answered Tig, trying not to smile. His eyes went wide and he looked to her, then back to Chibs, as if to say, _see it wasn't a stupid question_. Then, with confusion, he asked what they were made of. Maddie pointed out her house to Tig. "Wood or stone."

Tig shuddered, shaking his head while pulling into Maddie's driveway. The house wasn't small, but it wasn't large either, a two-story. A light blue with plain windows and a two-car garage. They were at the outskirts of Charming. All the houses around there were a couple decades old. The three got out from the car and the two men looked up to the house. Chibs turned around and looked down the streets.

Tig whistled while staring up at the house. Maddie went to check her mailbox. "Well aren't you sitting pretty?" he commented as she came up the driveway. "You always lived here?"

Maddie shook her head. "Belonged to my grandparents, left it to me."

She headed up the walkway towards the door. As she reached for her keys Tig leaned over her shoulder. "Wouldn't those dildos tear their shit up?" He dodged as Chibs tried to hit him again, jumping through the doorway as Maddie unlocked the door.

"Ignore him," Chibs told her.

Chibs closed the door behind them while Tig was looking over the inside of the house. Maddie was setting her things down.

"They polished them often," she said out of nowhere and Tig burst with laughter.

He held his stomach as he reached over to wrap an arm around her shoulders. "Oh, I love her Chibs. Let's keep her." Tig let go of her and walked off towards the kitchen. Maddie could hear him going through the fridge.

She looked to Chibs, pointing a hand upstairs. "Room's up there." He nodded to her, turning towards the living room.

He began stepping towards the couch, looking over the area. The place looked like any other typical home. Everything was modest; the only expensive item being a flatscreen up on the wall. The rest looked like it had seen some years. There were a few photographs on the walls; some of what looked to be ancient ruins (her studies he figured), prints of Roman coins, and a couple family photographs. He was looking at one with Maddie—he thought it must have been her—at a young age sitting on a tricycle. Chibs glanced over his shoulder as he heard Tig moan from the kitchen as he found a stash of cookies. As he did so, he caught sight of Maddie, just standing at the foot of the stairs. Her hand rested the staircase, but she was slowly pulling away. The moment she turned and met his eyes, Chibs was moving quickly to her.

She had just raised her head as she reached out for the stairs when she saw the light turned on upstairs. Coming from her bedroom. Maddie backed away and felt Chibs' hand fall on her lower back. She shook her head and spoke quietly. "I never turn that light on," she said. She had a lamp next to the bed that she used instead, it being bright enough to light up the room. Chibs grabbed at her upper arm, pulling her along with him as he made for the kitchen. Tig was in there, eating her cookies and talking to himself.

When he saw the looks on their faces, Tig dropped the bag of cookies. Chibs motioned to the upstairs and whispered, "Bedroom." Suddenly the joking was aside and Tig appeared frightening to Maddie. As he slipped past them, he reached under his kutte, pulling out a gun. Maddie quickly felt the seriousness of the situation as she watched Chibs pull his own gun out from a holster hidden under his kutte. He looked over to her for a second before moving to stand in front of her, pushing her out into the hallway that led to the door. They stood out of sight of the stairs, but Chibs remained standing in front of her. With his free hand, he reached behind him and pushed Maddie completely behind him against the wall. He felt as she grabbed onto his kutte with both hands.

Tig came down the stairs, stomping without care. "Place is empty!" he shouted down to them. He was muttering something about the Niners to himself.

Chibs turned around to Maddie, but she was staring at the ground. Someone had been in her home. Someone broken into her house. Those men knew where she lived and had come looking for her. To kill her. Maddie felt her legs become weak. Chibs told Tig to keep an eye out on the street and then turned to Maddie. The girl was silently freaking out. He called her name, but she didn't hear. He reached out and grabbed at the side of her neck, making her look at him. A strand of hair fell into his face. "Let's get your stuff and leave, yeah?"

Maddie nodded quickly, looking around. Chibs moved a hand to her back, leading her to the stairs. He took the steps as quickly as he could, moving out of the way so Maddie could get by and go into her bedroom. Chibs followed her in, waiting just inside the doorway. From downstairs, Tig's voice floated up; he was calling Jax, telling him the Niners had been inside Maddie's house.

Maddie walked into her bathroom and just stood there, hands griping at the sides of her neck. She took slow breaths. Did this mean she had to stay longer at the clubhouse? This made things worse, she knew it. What if Jax couldn't fix things? What if those men came looking for her at the clubhouse? What if they were somewhere outside on the street, waiting to ambush them? Her legs became weak again. Maddie took shaky steps towards the toilet, putting the lid down and taking a seat. She made herself as small as she could, curling in on herself. She fought back the want to cry. When she had been in there for too long, Chibs came looking. First just looking at her. He set the gun on the sink and walked over to her. She looked up to him, eyes wide, fighting the tears that wanted out.

"Come on, love," he said quietly, reaching out with both hands to pull her up. But she stayed rooted where she was.

"This is bad, isn't it?"

He sighed, rubbing at his face and pushing his hair back. He reached out to her again. This time she rose. He wouldn't answer her. "Pack yourself a bag and we'll get yeh out of here." Maddie blinked harshly and nodded.

She wanted to disappear, to become as small as possible. To go unnoticed. Maddie slowly leaned into Chibs and was relieved when he wrapped an arm around her. She inhaled deeply, breathing in leather and smoke.

He let her lean into him, knowing this was all due to him. He waited for her to begin crying, but her shoulders never shook, her breathing remained steady, and slowly her eyes dried. She pulled her arms from around his waist, cautious of his side, and turned away. She went to her closet and came out with a small duffel bag. With a blank face she opened up dresser drawers, pulled things off hangers in the closet, and stuffed it all into the bag. Chibs had moved and was waiting just outside in the hallway. Having not heard her moving around for a few moments, he peeked inside the room. There she was, standing in front of her bed, duffel bag zipped closed. He thought she was having another moment, but she wasn't. This was different. There was a hushed anger about her, and then it was gone. The duffel bag dangling at her side, Maddie pulled herself from the room and down the stairs.

The ride back to the clubhouse was quiet.

Maddie did not wait for Chibs or Tig. She walked from the car into the clubhouse. She did not hang her head, but her eyes did not rise to meet anyone. The corners of her lips were slightly down turned. She did not bother to close the door to Juice's room behind her, merely pushing it with a weak hand. She took the duffel bag into the restroom, fully closing that door. The water scorched her skin as she sat under the showerhead, knees pulled up to her chest. The shatter of the water against the tiles veiled her cries.

**Things just do not seem to be getting easier for Maddie. **

**Wonder what Chibs is going to do now? Maybe he'll want to go after whoever broke into her house? **


	7. Chapter 7

**New chapter! Will try to get another one posted in a couple of days (: **

It did not sit well with Chibs, the lack of action to be taken. Jax had said that there was nothing they could do for the time being. A meeting was set with Pope. The matter of the Niners breaking into Maddie's house would be discussed then. To take any sort of retaliation now would not play out well in the future for them. He didn't want to go tell her this though. But he wanted to check in on her. When he had gone into Juice's room, he heard the shower running. When he returned later, she had curled up on top of the covers of the bed. Not knowing what to do, he closed the door and left her alone. As the remaining hours of the day went by, Maddie stayed inside the room. Chibs would walk by, cracking the door open, only to find her in the same position.

He was killing time, playing pool against himself, when Bobby came by, two large brown bags with him. He set the bags on the bar and walked over to Chibs, asking how Maddie was doing.

Chibs shot a ball into a corner pocket. "Been stuck up in tha' room. Won't come out."

Bobby sighed. He looked back to the bags. "Brought some food. She eaten?"

"Not since this morning," Chibs said, shaking his head, setting the pool stick up.

"Well," Bobby said, heading over to the bags and pulling containers out. "Tell her to get out here. I didn't make all this shit for nothing."

Chibs knocked on the door before entering this time. When he looked in, Maddie was sitting up on the bed, rubbing at her head. "Hey." He came to sit on the corner of the bed. "How yeh feeling?"

"I have a headache from sleeping too much," Maddie spoke quietly.

"Bobby brought some food over. We best go eat it before he turns into a angry housewife." He was trying to get her to smile at least. He stood from the bed, turning away from her.

"Tell me, honestly. Can you really fix this?" Maddie had swung her feet over the side of the bed, but her hands were planted firmly into the mattress. Waiting for some sort of comfort before getting up.

"Tomorrow," Chibs told her. "Sort everythin' out tomorrow."

Maddie remained seated, asking herself what sorting things out entailed. She felt that the only way she would be okay again was if whoever had attacked her on the road, whoever had broken into her home, were gone. She fought a shiver that ran over her at the thought. _Gone._ She looked up to Chibs and her mind continued to move. _He could make them be gone. They all could. _

"If yeh want," Chibs started saying, leaning against the doorframe. "After things are settled, yeh can still come around here. Till yeh feel better. Yeh want to stay here a few more nights, yeh can. Or someone can come stay at your house. Whatever yeh need."

Maddie nodded after a moment, liking the thought. That's what it came down to, wasn't it? Not wanting to be alone, in case something happened? Chibs told her that everything would be better tomorrow.

Her stomach was eating away at itself and her head was pounding dully. She was hungry and knowing that there was food just outside that door, Maddie pushed herself off from the bed, following after Chibs. She found a table had been set up in front of the bar, chairs dragged around it. Bobby was setting the containers out on it. There were a few others hovering around, trying to steal a bite, but Bobby yelled at them. Maddie came and stood off to the side, looking over the table. Bobby began rattling off the plates, how everything was fresh, and then he stopped. No one was really listening; they just wanted to eat. Bobby pointed a finger at her, telling Maddie to take a seat. She found Chibs' hand at her back, pushing her towards a chair. He sat down next to her as the others began sitting. Looking over their faces, she saw Tig, Filthy Phil, and a man in a mechanic shirt. She glanced over towards the chapel, the doors open. She could see that the sun had already set, the sky going dark.

She was pulled from her thoughts as a plate was set in front of her; chicken fried steak with mashed potatoes, green beans, rolls, and gravy. "You made all this?" she asked as Bobby was taking a seat at the head of the table.

"Aye," Chibs said. "Yeh should try his muffins. He's trying to turn us all into fat bastards."

Tig closed his eyes and groaned as he took a bite from his plate. "Oh, did you bring muffins too?" he asked eagerly. "She has to try the muffins."

Bobby huffed, taking a swig from his beer. "I was short on time. This was the best I could do," he told them with a sweep of his hand.

Maddie looked back down to her plate. _His best?_ Taking a bite of the fried steak, she warranted that even his _worse _was still a treat. Sitting quietly, she listened as the men chatted about random things. Maddie noticed how the mechanic ate quickly and left; it was then that Bobby asked about their little trip to her house.

"Idiots left a light on," Tig said with a mouthful of potatoes.

"Anything out of place? They take anything?" Bobby asked Maddie.

She shook her head. "Just…left that light on. I never turn it on."

Bobby stabbed at his plate. "Sort that shit out tomorrow. Tell Pope to get those cunts in line." Tig mumbled an agreement through a full mouth. "You staying here tonight?" Maddie told him yes and he turned to Chibs, who nodded as well.

"Aw," Tig started. "It's like a sleepover. We can watch movies and braid each others hair and touch our naughty bits."

Chibs threw his bottlecap at Tig. "Yeh do that all on your own already." He looked to his side towards Maddie to see her quietly laughing. Tig was attempting to defend himself as Bobby shot him down. "Yeh go back home an' have your own sleepover."

Tig adjusted in his chair. "Maybe I will." He looked pointedly to Maddie. "Would—"

"No!" Chibs said strictly to him, draping an arm over Maddie's shoulders, pulling her towards him. "Just…no." Tig continued to plead his case for friendship as Chibs just shook his head. He leaned over to Maddie. "If yeh wanna keep him away, just get some dolls." He snickered, seeing the fear flash over Tig's face.

Bobby brought his hands to his eyes, pretending they were large eyelashes, and 'blinking' at Tig. "Come play with us Tigger. Come hold us." He laughed as Tig suddenly become disgruntled, looking down at his plate. Bobby told Maddie of his fear of dolls.

At learning this, Maddie was unable to constrain her laughter. Knowing that this man, that Tig, could be frozen still just by a doll…she held a hand to her mouth as she laughed. As the laughter died down, Maddie retreated back into herself. Watching and listening as the men talked. She held her hands together in her lap, having finished her plate. She rubbed them together as Chibs rose to grab himself another beer. When he came back he rubbed a hand over her back, giving her a wink as he sat down. He kept his arm draped over the back of her chair.

The talk at the table hushed as the front door to the club opened. Everyone turned to see who had come in.

Juice came to a halt as he spotted the table and those around it. His face fell. "You made food?" he said to Bobby, coming forward to look over what was left. Bobby was telling him _why_ he had made the food; it was for Maddie, to give her a good ending to her day since the Niners had stomped around her house. "What?" Juice asked, his head snapping to look down at her. "When?" Tig told him a recap of the trip. Juice glanced over to Chibs, turning away and taking a seat next to Tig on the other side of the table. He sat across from Maddie. He asked her if she was going to stay at the clubhouse for the night again.

"I offered a sleepover at my place," Tig mentioned after Chibs said he would be staying with Maddie.

"You can use my bed again," Juice told her. He glanced quickly to Chibs before looking away, taking a bite from his plate.

Again Maddie sat back at the others chatted. Nothing they said sounded like anything she shouldn't be hearing. It was just nice to be allowed a chance to think things were normal. She knew these men had killed before, dealt in nasty business. She wasn't some fool. But sitting there at the table with them, Maddie would never suspect these things. She knew she shouldn't, but she felt comfortable at that table. It may only last for a short moment, but Maddie felt like nothing was wrong.

She excused herself from the table, thanking Bobby for the dinner. He told her he'd bring in some of his muffins in the morning. As she was going through her duffel bag in the bathroom Juice came into the bedroom. "Hey," he said raising a hand. "Just, uh, did you need anything?"

Maddie looked around. "Do you have any towels? I only brought one from my house."

"Oh! Yeah," he answered, turning around in the room. He realized all his towels were tossed with his dirty clothes.

"Got some yeh can use," Chibs said from the hallway. Maddie peeked out from the bathroom to see him.

"Okay. Thanks." Maddie stood there, looking between Juice and Chibs. She wasn't sure why, but something didn't feel right between the two.

"Yeh staying or going?" Chibs asked the younger man.

Maddie spoke up. "I can sleep somewhere else, if you wanted to stay. It's fine."

"No. No, I was just gonna grab…" Juice walked past her to his desk where he picked up a laptop, tucking it under his arm. "Night."

When Juice was gone Chibs took a step further into the room. "Yeh need that towel tonight?" Maddie shook her head. "Need anything, second door on the right."

"Okay."

It wasn't long before Bobby left as well and Maddie was left alone in the clubhouse with Chibs. It was the first time that she had been alone with him and she didn't have a clue what to do. There wasn't much to do there and so she had just been sitting in Juice's room, flipping through the channels. Looking at the clock, it wasn't even 9 yet. Going to bed now didn't seem very plausible to her. Just sitting there in the room didn't either. And she wasn't tired. Not after sleeping for half the day. When she heard the whisper of a shower being turned on, she dared to come out from the room. The door to Chibs' bathroom was closed and the shower could be heard. She looked around the clubhouse. Seeing the pool table, she sighed and walked over to it. It was something to pass the time. She knew she wasn't the best, wasn't very good at all, but Maddie grabbed a pool stick. At least no one was there to see her and laugh.

"Yeh left-handed?" Chibs asked from behind her and Maddie started in place, turning around and holding the pool stick to her chest. Chibs held his hands up in apology. He was dressed in jeans and wife beater. Maddie took notice of the tattoos on his arms. His hair was slicked back, still wet.

"Yeah," Maddie told him after steadying her breath.

"Try shooting the other way then."

At first hesitant, Maddie switched the stick to her left hand and took aim at a random ball. She was surprised to find that her shot had more strength behind it. Chibs smirked. Standing in the silence with him, Maddie felt out of place.

"I should get to bed," she mumbled, laying the stick across the pool table. She didn't look back as she made her way down the hallway and into Juice's room.

Chibs watched her departing back, not having a clue what to do or say. He was being nice to her, wasn't he? He was being cordial. He was staying there with her for the night, keeping an eye on her. Doing what he owed her. But she was an outsider to the club and the club was all he knew. Chibs didn't know how to act with her. She wasn't part of the club. With a shake of his head, he headed into his own room, closing the door behind him.


	8. Chapter 8

**Another chapter! Will try and have the next one up either later today or tomorrow (: Thanks to all the new faves and follows! And the reviews! **

She was slow to rise the following day. Though having woken up early, Maddie remained in bed for a few hours. As she heard the noise pick up outside, mechanics coming in for work and cars being driven in, she pulled herself from the bed and slowly got ready. Coming out from the dorm she could hear Bobby's voice trailing down the hallway. It was just past 10AM. When he saw her approaching he picked up a small paper bag and shook it. There was another, a larger one, lying on its side on the bar. The other Sons were gathered around it, grabbing at the large muffins that had fallen out.

"Blueberry," Bobby told her as she slowly opened the small bag he gave her and peered in to the three muffins inside.

Maddie found herself thanking Bobby once again. She looked around for somewhere to sit; her eyes rested on Chibs towards the end of the bar. She moved and pulled herself up onto a stool beside him.

"Morning," he said to her.

"Good morning." She looked at the mug in front of him, seeing the steam rising from the coffee. Her eyes began looking over the area, trying to find that hidden pot of coffee. Her eyes fell back to the bar as Chibs pushed his mug between them. She drank slowly from it, her ears picking up fragments of what the men were saying. It appeared that they were going to get an early start to the day, before Charming had a chance to become alerted. Maddie placed the mug back between herself and Chibs. The two drank periodically from it. A man she had not seen before…with peculiar hands…fingers…just two fingers came and refilled the mug for them. Once he had passed Maddie turned her head slowly towards Chibs, stealing a questioning look.

"Chucky. Don't ask," was all Chibs told her. It was enough for Maddie. But still, she almost dared to ask.

As the others were coming in and finishing up Maddie spotted Jax looking her way. He nodded and walked over, leaning against the bar. He thumped a fist on the counter.

"Free to go after today," he told her with a smile. He looked over to her towards Chibs and nodded.

"What about whoever broke into my house?" Maddie asked, a tension in her muscles.

"We'll take care of it," Jax answered. Maddie nodded after a thought.

In what felt like a rush to her, the men were suddenly ready to leave. She hadn't a clue where they were going. Perhaps they met in public places, keep things civil. Then again, with the bodies that sprouted up around Charming, public places were likely low on the list of possible meeting locales. Again, she thought it best that she didn't question these things. Unsure if anything was expected of her, Maddie followed after the men out to the lot where the bikes were lined up. She crossed her arms, as seemed like a constant for her, and stood, watching.

Tig was grabbing for his helmet as he nodded over his shoulder, watching Chibs take a seat on his bike. "Give wifey a kiss and tell her you'll be back for dinner," he said in a light voice and then grinned. He didn't look back over to Maddie, so that she wouldn't know their conversation was about her.

"Shut it," Chibs warned, not daring to look past Tig. He knew Maddie was just standing there, looking like a wee uncertain Gemma, watching them all. Bobby was walking past her and said something. She gave a nod and then her eyes were back on the small group that was prepared to leave. Chibs tried to push the annoying sound of Tig smacking his lips together from his ears.

"Come on. Come on, man. Just go over there and give her a hug. Let me know how it feels. Full frontal." Tig was still standing, his helmet now on and hands at his hips. "Come on, do it for me." Chibs continued to ignore him, reaching for his helmet. "Alright. Alright then. If you won't, I'll do it."

With a grunt Chibs swung his leg over the bike and walked towards Maddie, not once looking back at Tig. He came and stood before her, blocking the sun from her eyes. She still stood the same, arms crossed, one leg firmly planted to the ground. It wasn't out of dominance, certainty, like Gemma, but for protection.

"Be back soon, yeah?" Maddie nodded. "Get all this sorted for yeh."

"Yeah, okay," Maddie said to him with a quirked mouth.

Chibs motioned with his hand and wrapped his arms around her; Maddie took the embrace, her hands coming up to rest on his shoulders. She felt something akin to Chibs kissing the top of head and then he was pulling away, walking away. Quickly, Maddie returned her arms to their crossed position.

Chibs was just nearly an inch from his bike and Tig was slaughtering him with questions and thoughts.

"Well? How was it? You get a good feel? Come on, buddy, you gotta tell me. You think they're D's? DD's? Got to at least be D's, right? She press them all up on you, huh? Come on, I saw it, she pushed those things out, didn't she?"

Chibs ignored his pestering. As they arrived at the location Pope had passed down to them for the meet, Tig made one last effort to get something out of Chibs.

"You hit that yet?"

"No," Chibs said, stressing the simple, single syllable.

Tig shook his head. "Shame, man."

Chibs nearly thought the same thing.

SoA SoA SoA SoA

Maddie didn't know when the men would be back; how long all this would take. When she went back into Juice's room after the group had left she was greeted with a stack of films on the edge of the bed. She raked a hand through her hair as she looked them over. Juice must have brought them by when she wasn't looking. She hadn't even noticed him. Figuring she may have some time to kill, Maddie reached for _Casino_ and settled in for a long day.

She was hoping to see Sharon Stone lose her shit when the rumble of motorcycles slipped under the door.

She waited for a moment, having paused the film, and listened. The door to the club opened shortly thereafter. Maddie turned the PS3 off and stood, straightening herself and looking to the door. There was a knock and Bobby was asking for her. She let him in and after him followed Jax and Chibs. Maddie stood in front of the three men and waited for one of them to speak. Jax took the lead.

It sounded like everything he was saying was coming from the end of a very long hall, his voice echoed in her head. He said that everything was taken care of. Things were just a misunderstanding, she was thought to have ties to the Sons, but that had been cleared. The incident of the break-in at her house was dealt with as well. She'd have no more troubles. She could head back home whenever she wanted.

Many of the finer details were kept from Maddie, but Chibs knew them all. Laroy was dead, compensation for the shit he was causing SAMCRO and Pope. And Maddie. Darnell got a bullet in the head for attempting to continue the beef, pulling a gun on Jax. Chibs and others were shown the body of Laroy, tossed in a hatch, along with those of the two men that had gone after Chibs and Maddie.

"Little girl has nothing to worry about now," Pope's enforcer had told them when the bodies were shown.

The hatch was slammed shut and the air was cleared between SAMCRO and the Niners. And then Chibs found himself back at the clubhouse, standing with the others in Juice's room, listening as Jax reaffirmed Madison that everything was sorted out.

"Car's not ready, but we got you a loaner till we can get it fixed," Bobby was telling Maddie as Chibs snapped back from his thoughts. He watched her, arms no longer crossed as they were before, her head slightly bent down. Nodding every now and then to what was being said to her. "Give you a minute to get your things together and Chibs will see you home."

Bobby and Jax turned to leave the room. Chibs remained back for a moment. Maddie's eyes scanned over him before she turned and began gathering her things. Scratching at his nose with a thumb he left and went to wait out in the bar. While waiting he drawled at a prospect to pour him a shot, not caring to even look at what time it was. Jax walked over to his side, slapping an envelope on the counter. The 10 grand the club had agreed to give Maddie. Chibs nodded, setting the shot glass down and stuffing the money into his leather jacket under the kutte.

Maddie had all her things together, stuffed into her backpack and one shopping bag. She sighed, looking over Juice's room, making sure she hadn't forgotten anything. She closed the door softly behind her and came out to the bar, quickly spotting Chibs.

A sea soon swept up around her as club members approached her to say their goodbyes. Jax rocked at her shoulders with an arm. Bobby hugged her, saying to stop by anytime she wanted more of those muffins, although, Maddie was sure he only said it out of politeness. They likely didn't want her, an outsider, just strolling in for some bakery goods.

A hand was placed at her back and Maddie found herself being guided out from the clubhouse. As she made it outside she slowed so that Chibs came up beside her. They crossed Tig who, in his style, made a scene.

"Already? I was going to order pizza and strippers!" Tig held his arms out and Maddie laughed at his comment, embarrassingly accepting the hug he offered. "We never even had a sleepover."

"She isn't horsemeat in a g-string," Chibs said to Tig, pulling the man back with a lack of strength. Maddie raised her brow and held back a laugh. She thought that the men likely had a vast number of colorful terms.

Out by the bikes was the small car she, Chibs, and Tig had taken the day before. As they walked up towards it Chibs handed over a set of keys.

"Car should be ready in 'bout a week." He saw the question in Maddie's eyes. "Company car." She nodded.

With a quick look behind her to the clubhouse, Maddie opened the passenger door and set her things in the seat. She shut the door and looked over to Chibs who was already at his bike. "Where—where's Opie?" She couldn't help it. After imagining the man as a disgruntled teddy bear, Maddie took notice of his absence. He had been kind to her. And she had felt a sort of pity sent her way by him. It was her nature to ask for him though she knew it better not to.

Chibs stood at his bike, not sure of how to answer the question. In the end, he resorted to, "Taking some time off."

Maddie could read the hidden message in his reply and did not ask more of him. She got into the car and waited for Chibs to start his bike before making for the exit. A black van pulled in and Maddie slowed, waiting for it to pass. As it did, she turned and looked, seeing Juice behind the wheel. The older man, Clay, sat in the passenger's seat. Maddie smiled and waved a wand airily before pushing back down on the gas and turning onto the street.

The drive to her house felt routine. Felt normal. Safe. But her eyes dragged back over to the rearview mirror, seeing Chibs there behind her. She did her best to just treat the day as any other. Tried thinking of what all she'd have to get done once back at home. Would have to go get groceries at some point. Catch up on the grad work she missed—come up with a grand lie to cover her ass.

Pulling into her driveway Maddie turned the engine off, unbuckling her seatbelt. She reached to the cupholder for her cellphone, then remembered it was stuffed somewhere in her backpack. The battery likely dead. Stepping out from the car, she saw Chibs come up on the other side and open the door, pulling out her things. He followed her up to her door where she stopped and turned, asking for her backpack. She rummaged through things and pulled out the keys.

She hit an invisible brick wall and was unable to step further into the house once in. Chibs had set her things down in the living room. Maddie stood past the door, having set the keys on a slender tall table against the wall. As if reading her mind, Chibs went into every room, going upstairs and coming back down. When he said nothing Maddie felt that she could move again. She stuck her hands in her back pockets.

"So I guess someone will call when the car is ready?" She asked. Chibs nodded. "Thanks, for everything then. You guys didn't have to do all this."

Chibs shook his head. "We owe yeh."

"Well not anymore," Maddie countered. She made to keep the haste from her voice. She really just wanted the club to be out of her debt already. "Disaster averted, right?"

As Chibs pulled out the envelope she felt that the disaster was far from averted. "From the club. For yer troubles." Maddie shook her head, holding her hands up as she took a step back. "There ain' any saying no. Club wants yeh to have it. Threw off yer life last couple of days, just a bit to make it up." When Chibs said he wouldn't leave until she took the money Maddie reluctantly took the envelope from him. It weighed heavy in her hand. She looked slowly around the room, trying to figure out where to put it. She set it on the coffee table. Chibs could see how she was moving with question, unsure of what was to come. Even with those two men dead in the ground and the Sons' word that all was safe for her, Maddie held onto a small fear.

A small fear was a good thing, Chibs thought. Kept one thinking.

Knowing that he had seen a cup with pens in it in the kitchen, Chibs made for it. He came back and picked up the envelope of money. He tapped it with the pen and set both things down on the table. "Yeh need anything, yeh call."

Maddie picked the envelope up, looking over Chibs' number. He nearly told her to not program it into her phone under his name, it was the prepay after all. But he chose to keep quiet on the matter. The girl was back home, no need to go and put the paranoia back in her. He doubted he'd even hear from her. Would likely just see her whenever she came by for her car and that would be it.

She showed him to the door and followed out after him to his bike. As he sat, putting on his gloves, he could see Maddie stealing glances down the streets. The small fear was keeping her thinking. Again he reached out to her and gave her a hug and Maddie returned it. He knew she was in for a small shock as she adjusted back into her life. He let the hug linger as Maddie was not willing to let go so quickly. He gave the side of her head a quick kiss.

"Next time, let someone else be the hero, love," Chibs told her when she stepped back.

Maddie laughed softly. "If it's you again, I will." Chibs smiled, shaking his head. Maddie found a strange mixture of relaxation and unease in his smile.

"Used up my one chance, eh?" Chibs maneuvered the bike out of her driveway, nodded at her, and then left.

Maddie stood for a moment in the driveway, watching till Chibs had turned down the street and out of her sight. With another look around, she headed back inside. She locked the door and went into the living room, sitting down. For a while she just sat there, staring around, taking things back in. What is was like to be back home. And then she looked to the money on her coffee table. She grabbed at it and headed up the stairs. Digging through her closet she found an old purse that she hardly used anymore. She stuffed the money inside it, but kept the envelope, shoving the purse back into the depths of her closet.

Returning back downstairs, Maddie grabbed her backpack and dumped everything out. She found her phone and went to plug it in on the table in the hallway. Waiting for it to turn on, she stared at the envelope with Chibs' number on it. Biting at her thumb, she went to her contacts and punched the number in. When it came time to assign a name, Maddie paused before putting in an _A_. She was thinking, and she thought, if she needed to reach him, having him at the very top of her contacts would make things easier. Faster to contact him. A cold shudder ran over her at the thought, that she may need to reach him quickly for something. She set the phone down on the table and crumbled up the envelope, tossing it in the trash in the kitchen.

And then she returned to the living room and sat down in the silence.

**So Maddie's back on her own, mostly, what with still having to go back to get her car at some point. Wonder how she's going to handle things for the next few days? **


	9. Chapter 9

**Just as I promised, here's another chapter (: **

By the end of the day Maddie had returned back to her routine. To her life. Though she felt that things would remain strange to her for some time. She managed to slide by clean at university. Used the set of keys to the loaner car as physical proof that she was in an 'accident.' No one questioned her much. It took two days, but she managed to catch up on past work and keep up with the current work. She was thankful for it being summer; for the semester she was currently in, the university only allowed for students take two courses max. She'd had gone the next day to the campus hunkered down in the library, trying to complete the work. And then returned the next day.

Each time she stepped out of the house her senses rose and every little thing caught her attention. That first day she had to take the trash out in the evening, after cleaning out the fridge. Soon as she opened the door and the night sky loomed over her, Maddie froze. And then her steps carried her quickly to the street, to the garbage pail, and then back inside. She locked door and went back to the same spot on the couch, sitting there for a few minutes. For the most part she didn't think, not really. She just, sat there. Doing her own little form of meditation, trying to let go of everything that had occurred in the last days.

Sleep was not something that came easy for her during the first night. Maddie was never one who could go to bed without some sort of white noise in the background. She had tried going without any, thinking, but not thinking, that she'd be better off in silence. Would be able to hear if someone came by the house. But that didn't work out. The dead silence started to grow until it was loud in her ears. She thought it strange, how silence could be so loud. There were only a few hours before the sun rose. She went to grab her phone from downstairs, plugged it in up on her nightstand and turned the music on, as low as it would go, and set it on the far end of the stand. Speaker directed away from her. The small whisper of noise was enough to dull her to sleep.

Maddie remained in bed that next morning, and the one after that, not rising right away. She'd waited, listening. Even found herself thinking of how quickly she could get down the stairs, grab her keys, and get to her car. Any dark SUV she saw had her pulse freezing for a few seconds. Her ears strained every time she heard a motorbike's engine rumbling off ahead somewhere.

And then coming down the stairs, nothing happened.

Walking out of the house, nothing happened.

Driving down the street, nothing happened.

Even driving to Stockton, nothing.

That isn't to say she wasn't looking over her shoulder the entire time. It was instinct. Whether she wanted to or not, she was keeping watch.

By the third day Maddie had acquired a set schedule with this instinct. It was well enough in place that she didn't falter as she went about her business. She was returning back to Charming early from Stockton, thankful for conferences that dragged professors halfway across the states and away from the classrooms. Knowing that her fridge and entire kitchen was starting to look bare, she stopped by the store to fill a basket with groceries. She grabbed one of the small baskets and tossed her bag in the toddler seat, leaning on the handle and lazily pushing it down the aisles. Being relaxed enough, she took the cart down every aisle, grabbing at anything she thought she needed. Or _knew_ she needed.

Maddie came turning down the last aisle, stopping to decide if she wanted some white or wheat bread. She scoffed at the thought of going with wheat. Why bother to go healthy with her bread choice when it'd only end up lathered in a jar of jelly? The loaf of white bread was tossed into the cart and Maddie looked up to the other end of the aisle, ready to leave.

She didn't stop, didn't slow either. She continued to casually push her cart to the end where she saw Opie standing. He carried a handbasket with a few items in it.

Smart thing would have been to just keep moving on past him. Act like she hadn't even seen him. But with his stature, there was no kidding herself with that thought. And besides, instinct told her to say hello. Told her that she wanted to reach out. The reason for that want was lost on her. She didn't question why. There was no point in questioning instinct. One moment it was telling you to get back in the car and leave that biker in the ditch where he was, the next it was telling you to walk right on up another biker and say hello.

"Hey," Maddie said, pulling her cart aside. She bumped Opie slightly with it and he turned quickly on her. His furrowed brow disappeared as soon as he saw her and there was a smile somewhere under his beard.

"Heard you broke out," Opie joked with her, walking around her cart to give her a light hug.

Maddie held up three fingers. "Three days free, haven't gone saving anymore lone bikers in ditches." The two laughed.

"That's good."

"Didn't see you at the clubhouse when I left, Filip—Chibs—said you were taking a break."

Opie sighed and Maddie knew then that something was wrong. He nodded his head. "Yeah." He paused, flowing away in his own thoughts before looking back over to her. "Your car fixed?" Maddie shook her head and could see, as she spoke, a shade pass over Opie.

"Guess I have one of the club's cars? I don't know, Jax is letting me use it till mine is fixed. Chibs said it would be a couple of days. Ordering parts I suppose." Maddie arched an eyebrow, thinking on the matter. "I'll probably hear from someone today or tomorrow. Said it wouldn't take too long, just a few days," she said with a bit of thought. She regarded Opie, seeing how he had looked away from her. "You alright?"

Opie snapped to attention. "Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine." He smiled faintly at her and then looked around them. "Take care of yourself, yeah?"

Maddie nodded.

With quiet goodbyes, the two continued past each other; Maddie headed off to stand in line, ready to check out. She licked at her lips, thinking over what Opie had said to her, what he had shown her while standing there. The way he stood, looked at her, spoke. All covered in fine print.

She knew something was wrong with Opie. That was beyond obvious. Maddie didn't exactly thing that Samcro members could just come and go as they pleased. Whatever the break was, it couldn't be good.

That had her worrying about Opie. There was part of him that Maddie saw, a part that didn't fit in that kutte. Perhaps that was the side telling her to take care.

Take care of herself. _Stay away from the club._

Fine print.

Samcro was riddled with it.

After returning home with her groceries, Maddie received a call in the evening. She didn't recognize the number. On the last ring she answered and was greeted by the choppy sentences of Juice.

"Hey! It's Juice. Car's ready. Got all the parts in. Finished it all up. No more bullet holes," he joked, with a shaky laugh that quickly died out. "You can come by tomorrow, if you want. Pick it up."

"Yeah. Sure, that'd be great. I'll come by around noon," Maddie told him, looking over to the coffee table and the stack of work on it.

She prepared the next day, same as she had the others, and took the drive over to TM. As she pulled in, she noted the line of bikes off to the side. She was already scanning the people walking around, trying to find a familiar face. Maddie parked between two other cars and got out, slowing walking to the back of the car. Hurried steps caught her attention and she saw Juice hurrying over to her from the garage. He wore a mechanic's shirt, even had his name on it, and was wiping his hands on a rag that he stuffed in a back pocket.

He greeted and hugged her, though there was something off about it all. That…twitch in his step was limp.

"Car's over here," he said to her, nodding her head and leading her off around to the side of the garage. He stopped and ran into the office to grab her keys.

Maddie couldn't believe what she saw. The car looked…like her car. No bullet holes. She opened the doors and peered in, knowing full well that some of those bullets had gone through. But not even the seats had holes. She shook her head, mouth agape.

"You guys got all this done…in three days?" Again she shook her head, taking another walk around the car.

Juice nodded. "Jax said to get it fixed." He shrugged.

"Thank you," she said in a quiet voice, taking the keys from him. She rubbed at her neck. "Is Jax here? I—I have to thank him. I was happy as long as I could still drive the stupid thing, but this…" Maddie saw the slight frown on Juice's face. "Something wrong?" Soon as she had asked, Juice's demeanor was lost, shoulders sinking and a trace of hurt on his face.

"We uh…had a rough night."

Maddie opened her mouth to ask something when the door to the clubhouse opened and Bobby came walking out. He looked about ready to smash the world, but then his eyes rose and he saw Juice standing there with Maddie. He turned to the side, collecting himself, and then began the walk over to the two of them. Maddie looked between the two men, her gut beginning to feel heavy.

"Hey girlie," Bobby said, bringing her in for a hug. She could see the forced smile on his face. He looked to her car. "All ready to go."

Maddie nodded. "Yeah…you guys did a great job. I think it actually looks nicer now."

Bobby's laugh was half forced. He looked over to Juice as he was ready to leave, not saying where he was going. Maddie knew something was being said silently between the two. When Bobby was far away enough, she turned back to Juice.

"What happened?"

Why did she ask that? Oh, yes, of course. Instinct. She was starting to fear things weren't clear for her. And that fear cued the instinct to kick in. With the way things were going for her now, she reckoned it wouldn't be long before her instinct controlled everything she did.

"Is there something I should know?" Maddie stepped in front of Juice so he'd have to look at her, but he turned away. "Am I in danger?"

Must have been the worry in her voice that had Juice caving in and looking to her. He had that look again. That quiet worry that shone in his eyes.

"One of Tig's daughters was killed last night."

That was more than she needed to know, Juice knew it. And so he hung his head and walked away. Maybe it would be enough to scare her off. Get her out of there. It wasn't her business.

He busied himself in the garage, working on a car. After a few minutes he looked up, seeing that her car was still in place. With a panic, he dropped the tools and began looking for her.

He came into the clubhouse, stopping as the bar came into view. He could see Chibs, coming out from the dorms. The older man slowed and stopped just as he had.

Both looked to one of the small round tables.

Tig sat there, a half bottle of whiskey held sluggishly in one hand.

Maddie stood there next to him. Just staring down at him. She saw neither Chibs nor Juice. Slowly, she pulled a chair over to Tig and sat down. With her head hung, she rested it on his shoulder and wrapped her arms around him. Tig dropped his head atop hers and both men could see the shake of his shoulders as he cried and held onto Maddie. He lost his grip on the bottle and it tipped over, spilling onto the table.

Maddie picked the bottle up, not even jolting when the spilt whiskey dripped down onto her lap.

She handed the bottle back to Tig and sat there with him quietly.

**As with what always seems to happen, had originally planned to end this chapter at a different moment, and then ended up stopping here. I thought, 'no, no, let's have some calm before the storm.' There is a drama bomb approaching folks, prepare yourselves (: Will happen in the next chapter, promise! **

**But to have some fun, what do you guys think I have up my sleeve? What do you think, or hope, I have set up for the next chapter? Let's see if anyone can guess it right (: I bet someone can, there's always at least one person that's thinking the same as me. You guys are in my head! Get out! **

**As always, thanks for the reviews! Love reading them, keeping sending them in! Thank you to all the newcomers. Be sure to leave reviews, even if it's just to say you enjoyed the chapter! They're like cookies, and cookies make me write and update faster (: Mhmmm…cookies. I want cookies now. **


	10. Chapter 10

**New chapter! And, as promised, it comes with a drama bomb! **

Tig had quietly gotten up from the table, running his hands over his face, eyes bloodshot. He took a deep breath, placing a hand on Maddie's shoulder. He gripped at her, gently rocking her back and forth. He told her she was a good girl and then slowly walked away, passing by Chibs and going down the hall to the dorms. The bottle of whiskey in hand. Chibs threw a look over Maddie's head, towards Juice, and the younger man was heading back outside to the garage. Raking a hand through his hair, Chibs walked over to the table that Maddie still sat at, hands held lightly in her lap.

"Let's get yeh cleaned up," he said to her, with a jerk of his head.

Maddie followed him to the dorms, stepping in behind him as he entered his room. She looked down at her jeans, seeing the slight darkness of the spilt whiskey on her. Chibs turned around to hand her a pair of his jeans and a belt that he had pulled from the dresser. He saw her standing there, bent over slightly, looking at how far down her jeans the stains went. With a small bite to the inside of his lower lip, Chibs' eyes immediately went to her backside that stuck out. None of them had really gotten a good look at her, or else there would have been a slew of comments made about her already. Even when they had gone by her home to grab clothes, the ones she had picked out weren't form-fitting.

Any of them would look at Maddie. Any of them would look at any girl. So Chibs blinked, and then handed the jeans and belt out to her. Maddie snapped her head up, taking a step and accepting the clothing. Chibs told her she could use his bathroom, stepping aside. He waited while she went in and changed. She came out, her jeans rolled up in a ball.

Maddie looked down at the new jeans she wore and how they hung on her. She felt like a thug. A poor excuse for a thug. She smirked then and looked over to Chibs. "I'll be able to start my own Samcro line with all the clothes I'm collecting." The smirk and spark from her face disappeared. "Is he going to be alright?" She looked to the closed door.

Chibs sighed, moving to sit at the edge of his bed, resting his elbows on his knees. Maddie eased herself down next to him, keeping her eyes straight ahead.

"Jus' gotta keep a eye on him." Maddie nodded. Chibs asked her how she knew, about Tig's daughter. "Juice running his mouth again?" There wasn't any anger in his question, if anything, it was veiled in fatigue.

"I think I kinda forced him," Maddie said with a quiet scoff, feeling bad at that moment for playing off of Juice's worry. "Asked if it was connected to me, if I should be worried."

Chibs quickly shook his head. He raised a hand and rubbed at Maddie's shoulder. "Isn't on yeh. Isn't your fault. This…this was coming before yeh even showed up and saved my arse."

Maddie sat there, feeling the pressure of Chibs' hand on her. A heavier weight fell on her mind. "How—how old was she?" It felt like it wasn't enough to have just sat with Tig for a moment. Wasn't enough to acknowledge that a person was gone. Dead. Tig's daughter. Maddie felt a responsibility to know more; that knowing would be proof that this person had existed.

Chibs raised a brow. "Don't know." Guilt settled in him and he thought for a moment, having to recall hearing Tig talk about Dawn and Fawn not too long ago. "Twenty-two. Year more maybe."

Maddie could only shake her head. Girl had been even younger than her. Chibs had removed his hand from her. With a caution she steered her eyes towards him.

"What happened?" she asked, slowly adding, "Juice…he said she was killed."

But Chibs only shook his head, turning and looking sternly at Maddie. "Yeh don't want me to answer that, love." He looked away, still shaking his head.

"Am I okay though?" She may have been in a bit of mourning, but damn it all if she wasn't going to make sure her life was in danger or not. People associated with the Sons, Sons themselves…Maddie knew the drill. They died bloody.

"You're fine." Chibs stood, tugging at the bottom of his kutte. "No one's coming after yeh. This…" He sighed. "This was personal." He started for the door. "All yeh need to know."

Maddie looked down at her feet for a moment before rising and following him out of the room and down the hall. Entering the large space of the bar she turned around as someone called out to her in a drunken haze.

"Mads. So sorry Mads…I ruined your jeans. I'm sorry." Tig was approaching her, a hand on his head as he shook it, looking down to her borrowed jeans. Maddie was about to tell him it was not an issue and then she saw how his eyes were tearing up. Tig began to cry again, reaching out for Maddie. He continued to say how sorry he was about the jeans. The apology quickly turned into the simple profession of being sorry. For what, that was unsure. Chibs was rounding on them, ready to pull Tig away from Maddie.

He hung heavily on her, Maddie wrapping her arms around the older man to keep the two of them standing. Looking past him she saw Chibs walking towards them, a hand outstretched to Tig. But she shook her head. Chibs stopped where he was. The door to the clubhouse opened, but Maddie could not turn and see who it was. Slowly, Maddie told Tig that he should eat something, that he probably hadn't eaten all day. Tig pulled back, nodding and breathing through his mouth. He wiped at his face, turning and walking away, going into the small kitchen.

Chibs came forward, wrapping an arm around Maddie. "Thank yeh," he said quietly to her as they make for the door. He nodded to Clay as they passed him.

Maddie looked up at the man, the small oxygen tank at his side. He looked weathered and in need of a rest. He smiled minutely at her, nodding his head. Maddie raised the arm resting between herself and Chibs, wrapping it around him and leaning into him as they walked.

Chibs escorted her back over to her car, leaning against it as she opened the door. She doesn't see Juice anywhere. She looked back to Chibs, biting at her bottom lip. "If anything is wrong…"

"We have your number," Chibs told her. To prove his point, he took out his phone and seconds later Maddie's phone was ringing. She looked down at it, seeing _A Calling_ across the screen. She asked how he had gotten it. "Juicey-boy is our resident nerd. Boy can hack into just about anything." Maddie scoffed, smiling as she shook her head. That explained why the club had trusted her so easily. Her brow began to scrunch together on a thought; she pushed it away. Chibs watched as she stood there, taking her pause to be of panic. "Yeh want, can send someone round, keep a eye on the house."

Maddie shook her head, smiling. "I'm fine. Really. Just, easily paranoid now." She laughed slightly. Not knowing what else to say, and seeing that Chibs was at the same loss as her, Maddie slipped her phone back into her pocket. She took the hug that Chibs gave, feeling comfort as he ran a hand over her back.

She pulled away and got into the car, closing the door and starting it up. Chibs had already stepped back, turning and going into the garage. Maddie looked at his retreating back before driving away. She stared through the rearview mirror, trying to spot Juice, but she didn't see him. With a scowl she pulled out onto the street and headed back home. There was the small urge inside her to turn around and go back, but she wasn't sure of the point of going back to the clubhouse. Wasn't sure if she should even be there at the moment. She wasn't part of the club, so what was her place there? She had no place.

With the weekend ahead of her, Maddie stopped at the grocery store again. She needed to keep herself busy, to keep her mind off of Tig and the others. Popping frozen dinners in the microwave or heating up a can of soup would do very little to keep her busy. She kept to the kitchen as much as she could, preparing every meal from scratch. Then she'd go through the house, room by room, cleaning. There was little to do though; she was much tidier than Juice and his single room. When there was nothing left to distract herself within the house, Maddie left, going to visit a cousin that lived in Charming as well. They had been worried about her since the car accident. Of course, she hadn't told them the full truth of the matter. She left out the fact that the Sons had had her under protection for a few days. Or that her house had been broken into. She received the typical warning to keep clear of the Sons.

Maddie was sitting down to the dinner she had prepared Sunday evening when she heard the rumble of a motorcycle coming onto the street. She set her plate down, standing at the small table. The motor grew louder until it was in her driveway, but Maddie did not move until the doorbell sounded, followed by someone knocking.

Her car was right outside there parked; there was no way she could just ignore whoever was at the door. Taking a quick glance through the peephole, Maddie released the breath she was holding and unlocked the door, swinging it open.

Chibs stood there, her pair of jeans rolled up in one of his hands. He handed them to her as he took his sunglasses off, tucking them inside his kutte. "Thought yeh might be wanting these back." He had made Chucky wash them.

"Thanks. Appreciate it."

"Yeh doing alright, love?" Chibs leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed at his wrists in front of him.

Maddie nodded. "Yeah. Just trying to keep busy. How's Tig?" She had taken a step back, giving Chibs space to come inside, but he remained in his spot.

"Better. Think he might 'ave been sober today." Maddie chuckled at his comment.

She looked down at the jeans in her hand and shook her head. "Sorry, I'm kinda lazy with laundry. I'll get your clothes washed tonight." She knew she had at least one pair of his jeans and a shirt, and two belts. Still didn't know about the second pair of jeans.

"Come by tomorrow, pick them up then," he told her.

"Alright." She saw Chibs turning, ready to get back on his bike. Her voice reached out. "Are you hungry? I always make too much."

But Chibs declined, saying he had to get back to the clubhouse. For what, he didn't say. Maddie quietly admitted defeat to herself. For whatever reason, she had actually wanted him to stay for more than what seemed like a few seconds. She headed upstairs, stashing the jeans away, and returned to the kitchen. She sat down and ate her meal.

After packing her leftovers away, Maddie finished what work she had left for the coming week and got a head start on a bit of reading. As the evening went on, she stashed her work away and decided she should get to doing some laundry. Grabbing a basket from the garage, she headed upstairs and began tossing clothing from her hamper in it. She dug round for the clothes she had borrowed.

She had managed to get a second load going, the first in the dryer, the noise of the whirring machines loud and echoing in the garage. Coming back into the house, the noise was muted as she closed the garage door. Dragging the empty basket behind her, Maddie took it upstairs to prepare a third load for the night. After that she'd go to bed. Instead of digging through the bottom of the hamper, she tipped it over, dumping the rest of the dirty clothes onto the carpet. Once sorted through it all and having the basket filled, Maddie rested it on her hip as she headed for the stairs.

The air was slammed from her body as hands gripped at her, smashing her into the wall. She dropped the basket of laundry, hands reaching up to cradle her head. She tried looking around, but the attackers wore all black; she couldn't see their faces. She counted at least two. Two for sure. A silent groan was pushed from her lungs as a foot collided with her side. She tried to breathe, but felt ragged. Someone was reaching for her arms, trying to harshly pull her up. Maddie latched onto the sleeve of their jacket, a foot wildly kicking out. She heard someone curse as it came in contact with a body part. A stinging punch skidded over her cheek, whipping her head to the side. Another punch met with her back and she arched, falling into the wall. With all the effort she could muster, Maddie pushed herself back, throwing herself into her attackers. The back of her head connected with something and again someone cursed. She was violently yanked back up against the wall. There was the feel of gloved hands over her throat. A coldness began to set inside her, her vision becoming black. Maddie did what she could to lash out; using her assailant's arms as grip and kicking her legs out into their stomach. Slurs were thrown at her and then Maddie felt the ground beneath her feet slipping away, strikes of pain coming at her as she tumbled down the staircase.

She could feel the tears on her face as she opened her eyes. She took a deep breath and then cringed, a harsh pain rippling through her. How could every part of her hurt so much? She rolled onto her side, the carpet beneath her like spikes to her skin. Opening her mouth, Maddie tried to call out. A choked cough escaped. It felt as if her throat was laced in razors. For a moment she just lied there, curled up and shaking with the pain. Biting back the want to remain still, Maddie reached for her pockets.

Pulling the phone out, she took a painful swallow as she dialed.

The sound of the line ringing was dull in her ear. Maddie began pushing herself up and the pain shot through her again. She collapsed back against the floor, unconscious.

Through it all, she never once screamed.

SoA SoA SoA SoA

It was past midnight and the ringing of his phone slowly pulled Chibs from his sleep. He didn't even bother to look at who was calling; he flipped the phone open and answered roughly with a, "What?" But he was greeted with silence. Squinting in the dark, he sat up and stared at the screen of the phone. "Madison? Yeh there, Mads?" For a long moment he listened, straining to hear anything. For one short second he thought he could hear hollowed breathing. Chibs hung up, calling Maddie back. Each of the five times he called, it went to voicemail.

Without another thought, he rose from his bed and dressed. He called Jax as he was heading out to his bike, then made a second call to Happy. He lived closest to Madison.

Pulling into Maddie's driveway, Chibs saw that Happy was already there. As he was getting off of his bike, Jax came up the road. Both men removed their helmets as they walked quickly up to the front door. Both pulled their guns out and Jax slowly pushed the door open. He lowered his gun, staring at the frail form of Madison crumpled at the foot of the stairs, cradled by Happy.

"_Jesus Christ_…" Chibs rushed past him and knelt, setting his gun down and running his hands over his head.

"Still breathing," Happy said. He stood up and backed away as Chibs reached out and took Maddie from him.

Jax spoke with Happy and reached for his phone. Chibs paid them no attention. Happy was going around the house, trying to find some trace of who had done this. Jax was making calls. Chibs faintly heard him say that he was calling Tara. And then Jax was kneeling beside him, speaking to Tara on the phone.

"Shit, man," he said to Chibs. "We gotta get her to the hospital." He spoke to Tara again on the phone. "I don't _know_ if she fucking fell down the stairs! She's at the bottom of them, so I'm guessing yeah here. Shit, her throat's bruising real bad." He spoke a few more words and then hung up. He stood quickly and looked around for the house phone. He grabbed it and dialed. Happy was coming back inside the house. "Meet us at the hospital," he told him. "Get the others." Happy nodded and left.

With the ambulance on its way, Jax crouched against the wall, staring at Maddie. She wouldn't wake up. Chibs had been trying to get her to wake up, but she wouldn't. He rubbed at her shoulders, shook them. Had Jax bring a wet towel to him, wiping at her face.

The cry of the sirens could be heard.

Chibs was hating himself for not staying earlier. He should have stayed. There was that small piece of him that knew, if he had just stayed and eaten dinner with her, he would have still been there when this all happened. He knew he wouldn't have left.

"Did this to her," he muttered, the sirens closer now. Jax tried to refute him, but Chibs shook his head. "This is on me Jackie-boy. Whatever happens to her now, it's all on me."

The ambulance pulled up and the paramedics rushed in. Chibs and Jax moved out of their way, trailing behind as they took her out on a gurney.

Rage and guilt pulsed through Chibs, drowning out even the roar of his bike as he followed behind the ambulance to St. Thomas. Once there, he and Jax were met by the other Sons. They had all collected outside, stunned to silence as Maddie was pulled from the back of the ambulance. They tried to follow after her once inside the hospital, but the staff wouldn't allow them into the ER. Chibs stood quietly at the back, taking a seat in the nearest chair, numb. Tig argued to be allowed in, that they couldn't just leave her alone. He was determined to be let inside.

There was a cry from down the hall, down the hall that Maddie had been taken. It sounded as if the life had been forced back in her and Tig quieted, terrified. The nurse holding him back looked worried, and rushed off down the hall. Those that were there looked around at each other, and then to Chibs. He sat there, back straight, with murder in his eyes.

**How's that for a drama bomb!? **

**Wonder how the rest of the club is going to react to Maddie's beating? Maybe even more important, how will Maddie handle things once she wakes up? **


	11. Chapter 11

**Another chapter! This one turned out way longer than I had anticipated, so didn't get to everything that I wanted to cover, but oh well! I'm sure you guys will still enjoy it (: Thanks to all the new faves and followers. Thanks for the reviews. I pounce on my phone everytime I get a **_**ding**_** for a new email, eager to read the reviews (: **

Tara had come down to the hospital, a prospect remaining back at the house with the boys. She was trying to get as much information about Maddie as possible for the guys. Chibs was joined in a waiting area by Jax, Happy, Tig, Phil, Juice, Bobby, Clay, and Opie. They had heard no word on Maddie. It had been over an hour since she was taken in. Tara was off, still trying to get information. The cops appeared at the hospital and Jax was shaking Chibs from his thoughts to warn him. The cops were tired. Or maybe had been informed of what happened to Maddie, the extent of it all. Maybe seeing a room filled with melancholy tugged at their pity. They spoke quietly to the men, asking what had happened. What they knew. Chibs never looked up to the two policemen. His eyes were set to the ground and his voice empty. He had been by the house earlier, to return the jeans—had gotten a drink spilt on them back at the clubhouse—and she had invited him to stay. But he didn't. He received a call close to 1AM from Maddie, but no one was on the other end. He thought he could hear someone breathing. He hung up, trying to call back, but the phone was never picked up. So he went to check on her. There were more questions asked; had he seen anyone leaving the area. Any suspicious cars. What was his relation to Ms. Madison Wyman.

Chibs did not answer and Jax spoke up. "We were fixing her car." The officers looked to each other and then asked if she was the same woman that had been in the accident with a Filip Telford. "Yeah, she is." One of the men said Maddie's statement would be taken once she awoke.

The two left and the group of men remained in the silence of the hospital so late in the night.

"Pope lied to us," Tig began to say. He looked over to Jax. "He fucking lied."

Jax quieted him, looking around. "We don't know that. We don't know shit."

"Who else would go after her?" Clay asked from his corner. Juice nodded, elbows rested on his knees and eyes steely. "No one else knows about her connection to us. You think this was just some random burglary?"

Chibs shook his head. "Nothin' was taken. They went after her."

Jax could see that the men were becoming angry. Opie stood over by Chibs. He hadn't said anything yet, but Jax could see that he was ready to. He was ready to go after whoever had done this to Maddie. "We wait till Tara comes back, find out about Madison. Then we head back to TM, figure out what to do. Ope, stay here with Chibs." Jax sighed. "Hap, you and Tig go back to Madison's. See if you can find anything. Find out if anyone saw something. Anything, just try to find something."

Tig would not leave until Tara returned with news on Maddie. Thankfully they hadn't need to wait much longer. About half an hour later she appeared, looking mentally exhausted. The men were eager to hear of any news. Chibs still remained seated. He looked up once to Tara, and then back to the ground. His hands were clasped in front of him, feet bouncing on the floor. He couldn't stay still. Tara began telling everyone the status on Maddie.

"Her throat is badly bruised. They tried choking her. It doesn't look like there's been any permanent damage, but it probably won't heal fully for about two weeks. Dr. Gallagher says she won't be able to speak for a few days, her throat's swollen." Tara watched as the men lowered their heads. Tig looked lost. Juice was holding back tears. Clay and Bobby looked to be in pain at hearing the news. "She has four fractured ribs, from the attack and the fall. There's no internal bleeding, her organs are fine. There's a bit of head trauma, but no swelling. We've already done some scans and are just keeping an eye on things for now. She has some contusions. It's unsure if there's any severe tissue damage. We have to wait till all the swelling goes down."

"She awake?" Chibs asked.

Tara paused. "No…not yet. Dr. Gallagher has her sedated right now." She looked down at her watch. "She'll probably wake up later in the morning. You can go and see her, if you want. She's being moved into a room right now."

Bobby shook his head as he saw the others beginning to stir. They all halted, allowing Chibs to follow after Tara, alone.

He hated hospitals. Hated how clean they were. How sickly they were. He stared through the small window in the door to Maddie. He clenched a fist, seeing the oxygen mask over her face, the tubes coming and going from her. The brace around her neck. The ugliness upon her skin made him sick. Tara quietly opened the door and walked in, turning around for Chibs.

"Someone should be with her, when she wakes up."

Chibs nodded at her words and walked in. He softly pulled the chair over to the hospital bed and sat down. He rested an arm on the side and removed the beaded necklace round his neck to clutch in his other hand. He tried not to look at her, hanging his head. Tara could hear him sniffle. She left the room. The others were still hanging back and when she rounded the corner, seeing them, she shook her head.

With resignation, Happy and Tig left to go to Maddie's house. Bobby and Phil followed shortly afterwards, heading to TM. Jax looked to the others that still remained. He could see how Opie and Juice wanted to see Maddie. He sighed and nodded. Juice looked over quickly to Clay; he had driven him there in the van. Clay told him to go check on the girl, saying he would remain back there in the waiting area. He rested his head against the wall, tired. The three men headed down the hall, Tara leading the way. She kept back as they approached the door. Opie had come forward and looked through the window. The anger on his face, and despair that riddled it, reminded Jax of when Donna was killed. When Piney was killed. Opie took a step back, running a hand over his mouth. Jax clasped him on the back. He had looked into the room as well, seeing two broken people in there. Juice stood with Tara. As Jax and Opie moved away, he could see in, could see Maddie. Tara wrapped her good arm around him as Juice's shoulders rose up and down heavily. He wiped at his eyes and kept silent.

"You guys go," Opie said. "I'll stay here with him."

Jax agreed. He began saying what should be done once Maddie was able to leave the hospital. Tara said it would likely be a few days before they'd consider letting her go. "I want her staying with Chibs. I want a Son with her at _all_ times." He looked to Opie. "If she wakes up, call." Jax pulled Juice away from the hall and they, along with Tara, left.

Opie slowly came into the room, closing the door behind him in silence. Chibs looked up to him for a moment, then lowered his head again. He took a seat in the other chair, agasint the wall, on the other side of the bed. Opie looked to the machines that surrounded Maddie and the tubes that dove into her veins. He looked to the slice that dashed over her left brow. It would leave a scar. He didn't say anything to Chibs. Once, he met his eyes, and then pointedly looked to Maddie. With a bob of his head, Chibs turned and finally looked at Maddie. _Must have been how he looked when he was propped up in the hospital_.

Both men began to panic slightly when Maddie started to stir. She tried to turn her head, eyes still closed, but could barely do so because of the neck brace. Her face contorted in pain and pulse quickened. Opie stood to rush out the door, to find a nurse. He and Chibs thought she was waking up. But then the pain on her face passed, her pulse slowed. Chibs looked down at the hospital bed and saw that Maddie's hand was clutching at the sheets. He lowered himself back into the chair and Opie returned to his. The latter watched as the former peeled Maddie's fingers from the sheets and placed his necklace in her hand. A nurse came in some time later, to check on Maddie.

"She doing alright? Somethin' wrong?" Chibs asked, watching as the nurse looked at the charts and checked the machines.

"No. She's doing fine. Just checking up on her." The woman looked to the last notes on Maddie's chart. "The sedative should wear off in a few hours."

"And then?" Opie asked.

"If needed, we'll sedate her again. It depends on how much pain she's in." The woman left the room quietly. She returned a moment later with two pillows, saying that she figured the men would be staying with Maddie.

Chibs positioned the pillow behind him and tried to get comfortable in the chair. Opie stuck his behind his head and against the wall. He leaned back and closed his eyes, opening them from time to time to look at Maddie. Chibs closed his eyes, but didn't sleep. He'd peek through them to watch Maddie. He looked to the hand that held his beads. Brushing a thumb over a scratch on her wrist, Chibs rested his hand over his and tried not to fall asleep.

He woke at the sound of the door closing. Opie was not in the room. Chibs sat up, glancing over to Maddie. She hadn't moved at all. Nothing had changed. Opie came back into the room, flipping his phone closed. Chibs looked to his watch. It was a bit past 6AM.

Opie came to stand at the foot of Maddie's bed, watching her. "Jax and Gemma are here." Jax had called him earlier, saying that he would be coming by to get Chibs. He had asked how he was doing. He wanted to get the older man out of there.

"Hap and Tig find anything?" Chibs asked.

Opie shook his head. "No one heard anything. Saw anything. Lock on the front door was busted a bit. Tig said there was laundry in the garage. Whoever it was, must have, gotten in while she was in there. Couldn't hear anything." _And then they waited to attack her._

The door was slowly pulled open and Jax and Gemma came in. He had called his mother, telling her what had happened to Maddie. Told her that he needed her there to watch Maddie while he and Chibs were gone. Opie would stay there with them. When Jax had called Opie earlier he had said that Tig would come in to relieve him, but Opie said no, he would stay.

Gemma walked softly over to the hospital bed, shaking her head and sighing. "Girl put up a fight," she muttered. _Why else toss her down the stairs, unless she was winning? _She looked to Chibs and furrowed her brow, stepping over to him with open arms. "She's gonna be fine," she told him with a hug. Chibs looked to Jax, asking what was going on. Gemma drew his attention. "You need to go home. Get things ready for her. I know you Filip, that kitchen is bare. You want things ready for when she comes home, don't you?" Chibs nodded his head. "Go. We'll call if she wakes up before you get back. Okay?"

Chibs bunched the beads up in Maddie's hand, making sure they wouldn't fall out, and begrudgingly left with Jax.

Gemma watched the door for a moment before taking the seat Chibs had occupied. She eyed Opie. "These the same men?"

He shook his head. "They're dead. According to Pope."

Gemma scoffed, her voice still low like Opie's, though they were likely not to bother Maddie. "Yeah." She reached out and pushed a strand of hair out of Maddie's face, inspecting the cut over her brow. "She won't be forgetting this. Gonna be reminded every time she looks in a damn mirror." Gemma looked around the room, rubbing at her arms. "Cold in here." She got up and started looking for spare blankets; she saw no thermostat. Opie could hear her out in the hallway complaining to a nurse. "She isn't dead yet." She returned with a spare blanket which she laid over Maddie, tucking her hands underneath it, mindful of the necklace. She sat back down with a slow breath, watched Maddie for a moment, and then rummaged through her purse. She took out a book and began reading, looking over to Maddie every other page. Opie kept his phone out, waiting for Jax or Chibs to call. Waiting for if Maddie woke. Chibs would want to know the moment she did.

Tig called Opie a while later, asking about Maddie. "How is she? She up yet?"

Opie told him she wasn't. Still asleep. The sedative mustn't have worn off yet. He repeated the same news to Bobby and Juice who also called. Chibs called as well; Opie could hear Jax in the background. They must have been at a store. He could hear Jax asking questions in the background to someone.

Gemma looked down at her watch after the calls stopped. Noon was coming to an end. She put the book down. "Gonna go get something to eat. I'll bring you something back," she told Opie who nodded. Gemma picked up her purse, slung it over her shoulder and headed for the door.

As she opened it she heard Opie scramble from his chair. She turned to see Maddie stirring in the bed. Gemma faltered and came over to the bed, setting her purse down. Suddenly Maddie's eyes opened; a heave slashed in hurt escaped her. Her face scrunched up, bottom lip quivering as she tried to breathe. "Madison. Maddie, honey, it's alright," Gemma began saying, coming to the side and trying to soothe her. Opie rushed for the door, slamming it open and yelling for the nurses. He hurried back to Maddie's side, trying to still her head.

"You have to stay still," he was trying to tell her. Maddie grabbed at the sides of the bed, the beads dropping to the floor. She began to gasp, clawing for her throat, though she could not reach it through the brace. She began beating her fists upon it. Opie grabbed her wrists and pulled them away. "Doctor's on the way. You're safe. You're fine. You just have to stay calm." Maddie's eyes were darting around the room, searching in panic. "Chibs brought you here. Remember? You called Chibs and he came. Remember?" Gemma cursed and ran for the hall, yelling at the nurses that came rushing in.

Maddie hadn't a clue what was happening. There was a heavy weight on her chest. On her throat. The more she tried to breathe, the harder it was to do so. It felt as if her throat was stitched with blades and jagged edges. She began to cry, but only tears came. She choked on dried sobs that could not come out. The nurses were pushing Opie and Gemma away from her. She reached out, gnarled fingers, grasping for them. She could hear Opie calling out over the nurses and doctors, saying everything would be okay. Someone was saying to take her to the OR. The ceiling started to move above her. Opie called out to her and Maddie tried as she could to move her head, to find him. She felt a hand grip hers, her palm filling with the beads she had been holding.

As she was carted away Opie and Gemma stood in the hall, following as far as they could. Opie was pulling out his phone, ready to call Jax. He stopped and shivered, hearing Maddie once more cry out. It wasn't a cry though. And it wasn't a scream. He couldn't say what it was for he had never heard someone make such a noise.

It was feral.

Calming his nerves, Opie called Jax. He told him only, "She's awake."

Jax cursed. He and Chibs were in Stockton. They had taken the club's van. The two had gone by Chibs' house and Jax said there was no way Maddie could sleep on either of the beds he had; they were too hard. She needed to be made as comfortable as possible. Jax said the couch in his living room wasn't wide enough, wasn't soft enough. He listed off things she would need and Chibs nodded to each one. He was sitting on a large sum of money he had collected since the club began working with the cartel. He and Jax headed to Stockton, stopping at a furniture store. The mattress was picked out first, loaded into the van, and then driven back to Chibs' house. They then headed back, this time to collect a couch. The van was loaded with it, along with essentials for the bed. Chibs kept stopping after Jax was done, saying he needed this or that. He yelled at Jax when he tried to argue against getting a television for the guest bedroom. A small flat screen was shortly added to the back of the van afterwards.

Jax and Chibs had just gotten back into the van when Opie called. "She's awake," he told Chibs who started the car up quickly and sped off.

They arrived back in Charming and made straight for the hospital. Everyone else had been informed about Maddie and was waiting on more news. Opie had only said that she was awake and was taken away by the doctors.

Chibs came striding round the corner, seeing Opie and Gemma sitting in a waiting area. He looked down the hall to the room he thought Maddie was in.

"They moved her," Gemma told him. Jax picked up the rear, coming to stand over his mother.

"What happened?" Jax asked.

Neither Opie nor Gemma wanted to say it.

"She woke up," Opie said.

"She wasn't happy," Gemma added.

"Is she okay?" Chibs asked slowly.

Opie sighed, rubbing at his face. "It wasn't good, brother. She was in a lot of pain." He didn't want to say anymore, but Chibs pushed him for more. "They sedated her again. Took her in for surgery. She couldn't breathe. That, Dr. Gallagher, he came back, said there was a tear in her vocal chords." Chibs reached for the nearest chair and sat down. "They fixed it. The swelling is still bad, but they managed to bring most of it down, enough to do the surgery."

"Where is she now?" Jax asked.

"Roosevelt is with her," Gemma answered with a heated voice.

"What?"

"Getting her statement about what happened." Gemma shook her head. Chibs asked where Maddie was. Gemma began to tell him, but the door at the far end of the hall opened and Roosevelt came walking out.

He slowed as he saw the Sons standing there. Chibs' back tightened as the officer approached them. Gemma pointedly asked if they could go back in and see Maddie. He nodded and stepped aside, watching as the group moved past. He reached out, stopping Chibs.

"I don't know what game you guys are playing, saying she's your fiancé. I think we can all agree she found your half dead ass off the road and just so decided to stop and help. And now this is what she gets in return." Roosevelt spoke in a low voice. Chibs said nothing in response, waiting for the cop to show he actually had something to hold against him. He had nothing. "I'm going to find her next of kin. And I'm going to tell them what happened."

Soon as the grip was gone from his arm, Chibs brushed past Roosevelt and made for Maddie's room. The others hadn't gone in yet. They watched until the cop was out of sight before going inside.

Maddie had fought back so harshly that the doctors relented and removed the brace from her neck. She was still to move it as little as possible. A gauze pad was taped over the side of her neck, covering the incision made during surgery. She didn't move as the men and Gemma came inside the room. Her eyes followed each of them.

Gemma approached first, a small smile on her lips. "What did that idiot want?" she asked, jerking her head to the door. Maddie raised a finger, pointing to the side tray. Gemma looked over, seeing a pen and pad there. She picked it up and dug out her glasses. She read over it, but not aloud. When she was done, she handed it to Chibs with a hesitation.

At first Chibs only stared numbly at the pad in his hands, then up to Maddie. Her face was frightful. It was numb. Not even her eyes showed emotion. Gemma stepped aside and patted Chibs' back as he came to sit down next to Maddie's bed. He didn't have his glasses with him; he reared his head back to read the writing clearly.

It was like Maddie was yelling at them through silence. Her writing was in all caps. It was all her answers to whatever questions Roosevelt had asked her. What she was doing when she was attacked. The time. How many there had been. Where the attack began. How she had tried to fight back. How she kicked at the one who choked her, how they then pushed her down the stairs. Roosevelt must have asked why she called Chibs first instead of 911. _I COULDN'T SPEAK. I KNEW IF I CALLED FILIP HE WOULD WORRY AND COME CHECK ON ME. I TRIED TO GET UPAND PASSED OUT._ Chibs knew the cop had asked Maddie about him. _YOU CAN'T DISPROVE THAT. DOESN'T MATTER IF I HAVE A RING OR NOT._ Roosevelt had pushed her about being Chibs' fiancé. And she had stuck with it. It was in the police report, she couldn't backtrack on it, so she ran with it. And she was right, Roosevelt couldn't prove that they weren't engage. They'd just have to play along for the time being. She had been asked if she knew of anyone that would want to harm her. _YOU CATCH THE MEN THAT TRIED TO RUN ME OFF THE ROAD? WELL MAYBE YOU SHOULD KEEP LOOKING._ The man had attempted to get her to say anything about the Sons. Asked her what her relation to the club was. He had said he found it strange that in his report to the cops the night before, Chibs never once mentioned her as being his fiancé. _WE'RE PRIVATE PEOPLE._

Roosevelt threw the towel in, leaving Maddie to herself.

Chibs handed the notepad to Jax who read it. He passed it on to Opie while he came over to the other side of Maddie's hospital bed. "We're gonna get thing set up for you, at Chibs' house. You're gonna stay with him for a while after you get out of here." Maddie remained still, only staring at Jax. It was unnerving. He started telling her all the things they had gotten her for her room at Chibs'. Jax looked to Chibs, urging him to finish telling her. He scooted his chair so that Maddie wouldn't have to turn to see him. As he spoke he looked down at her hand, seeing the beads still there. They hang half off the bed. He gathered them up and placed them back in her palm, running his fingers over her hand.

"Is there anything you want us to go get from your house?" Opie asked from a chair. He leaned forward.

Maddie eyed the notepad in his hands. Opie passed it to Jax, who then passed it to her. Chibs reached behind him and grabbed the pen from the side tray.

_HOW LONG WILL I BE HERE?_

"No one's told you?" Gemma asked.

_NO. _

"Just a few days," Chibs said. There was no telling how long she'd be there, but the others knew better than to say anything. "When you're ready, we'll pack some bags, yeh can come stay with me."

Jax interjected, "You don't have to, you can stay at the clubhouse if you want. You can stay wherever you want."

Maddie stared off towards the door before scribbling on the notepad. _I'LL GO WITH FILIP. CAN I SLEEP NOW? _

Gemma said she could, telling Jax and Chibs that they should head back to the former's house, get things ready for Maddie.

Chibs looked around, getting up and opening a cabinet. He found Maddie's belongings in it. He carried her phone over to the bed and set it down next to her side. "Yeh need something, yeh text." He looked over to Gemma.

She nodded. "I'll stay." She looked to Opie. "Go home, you're exhausted. Have Tig come." She told Maddie that Tig had been worried sick about her.

Maddie picked the pen up again, scrawling a question down. _HOW IS HE? _

Gemma smirked. Girl was laid up practically lame in the hospital and was asking how someone else was doing. "He's okay, sweetheart. He's okay." She looked to the others, giving the silent signal for them all to leave the room to Maddie and Chibs. "I need a cigarette."

When the others were gone, Maddie asked Chibs about who attacked her. _YOU SAID THOSE MEN WERE GONE._

Chibs nodded. "They are, love. They are."

For a moment Maddie only lied there before writing more. _SOMEONE MUST BE VERY ANGRY OVER THE ENGAGEMENT._

Chibs eyed her curiously and then chuckled, seeing her actually smiling at her own wit. "Aye, must be." He wringed his hands. "Yeh should get some sleep," he said, nodding his head. "I'll come back later, yeah?"

_YEAH. _

He tried to rise from the chair, but couldn't. He leaned forward, head hung as he shook it. "I'm sorry, love. Shouldn't 'ave happened to yeh. I should have been there." Maddie could see a lost anger on his face while he looked away from her. He rose quickly then, leaning over her and carefully brushed her hair back as he kissed her forehead. He turned and left the room with haste.

A moment later, Opie came back into the room. He smiled sadly at her. Gemma was still outside, taking her cigarette break.

"He'll look after you," Opie told Maddie as she flipped through the television channels, using the remote he had handed her. She stopped and watched him with her eyes. "He's tearing himself up about this, trust me. He'll look after you the rest of his life if he can."

Maddie wrote nothing in reply. Her eyes were hooded, her body appearing hard and armoured under her bruised skin. Opie stared at her as the sound from the television drifted through the room.

…_bask in the sunlight one moment, be shattered on the rocks the next._

**Who can guess the movie that line is from? (: **

**Man, I'm just plain evil, not cutting Maddie any breaks am I? **

**And poor Chibs, guy can't bring himself to even look at her for very long, just too much guilt. **

**Next chapter will see a wee bit of action in it. Maddie will get to go home, we'll see how she handles being back in her house while packing bags to go to Chibs', wonder how that will turn out. **

**And we'll see Tig! Tig will be stopping by the hospital to take over for Opie. Anyone else you guys would like to see visit her? Perhaps I'll be able to squeeze them in there (: **

**Will hopefully have the next chapter done and up in a couple of days (: **


	12. Chapter 12

**We hit 100 reviews! Yay! Thanks guys! **

**As a proper thank you, going to go ahead and post this chapter early (: **

He had said he would be back later. But later had come and gone in this new world of Maddie's. And he had not returned. Her fingers ghosted over the phone that he had placed at her side. But she did not pick it up. If another's phone rang, she looked to them as they would hang up, waiting. She could hear them speaking of her—how she was doing. She was right there. But never once was the phone handed over to her. Someone was asking about her, but they never wanted to speak to her it seemed.

Her stomach rolled and twisted at the sound of the carts being pushed down the halls. Lunch passed by without even a knock at her door. Gemma, before leaving, had gone looking for the nurse assigned to the room. Madison was not allowed to eat until that evening. Even then, her meal would be bland. The nurse explained that medication given to her may cause nausea and her throat was still very tender. At least for the evening, she'd have to wage through a liquid meal.

Gemma had gone, leaving behind the book she had brought. Maddie did not open it, nor look at the title. Opie remained for only a few minutes longer than Gemma, until Tig arrived. The younger man had met him outside the room. Maddie knew he was speaking of her; telling Tig the do's and do not's. Opie came back in, to say goodbye to her. He lingered for a few seconds in silence, just watching her, and then left. At first it was clear to her that Tig did not know how to handle the situation. She could see how he wanted to just sit and tell her he was sorry, to wait on her, hand and foot. Instead he took the seat next to her bed, stretching his legs out, and telling her of the shopping spree Chibs and Jax had gone on. He did everything but acknowledge that she was laid up in that bed, unable to speak. And broken.

"Made two trips," he told her, concerning Chibs and Jax. "Got a new mattress, new…everything for the bed. His couch was real shit. Got a new one. Leather—that soft kind. You'll just, sink into that thing. It's nice. And he bought a tv, for your room. Bunch of other stuff. You thirsty?" Tig had been walking about the room, tinkering random things. He stood before the side tray, picking up the pitcher and seeing that it was half full. _I DON'T KNOW IF I CAN DRINK ANYTHING YET._ Tig was wary of reading the notepad. It felt strange to him. That he could continue a conversation with her as usual, but only heard his voice. He left, looking for a nurse. He returned with another pitcher, this one with ice in it, and a cup and straw. He filled the cup with ice and water, sticking the straw in it. He turned to hand the cup to Maddie and then saw the issue at hand. While she was propped up in the bed, it was not nearly upright enough. He set the cup down and began looking at the various buttons on the side of the bed as if it was a snake, trying to figure out which one to press. With some help from Maddie, he picked out the right one.

It felt relieving to be sitting up. At the angle she had been at, the pressure at the base of her spine had been building. Tig handed her the cup and watched with a slight worry as she sipped from the straw. He was in truth wondering if anything would spew out from the incision on the side of her neck. He watched the patch over it, waiting for it to become soaked. Of course, it didn't.

Her one, small source of passing the time was listening to Tig talk to the television. At first he had complained about the lack of channel choices, as Maddie flipped through them all more than once. And then he had pointed a finger at the screen up in the corner, telling her to stop it on that channel.

"I love NCIS," he told Maddie. He looked over to her quickly with a smirk. "The goth chick is hot." He shook his head. "The things I would do to her."

Maddie grabbed the pen from her side and handed the notepad over to Tig. He laughed at what she wrote. _HER NAME IS ABBY._ He asked if she had ever sat down and watchED one of the countless marathons that were always running of the show. _MORE THAN ONCE. _

"Yeah, me too."

Tig added his own commentary, talking to the characters on the screen. It didn't take long for Maddie to become weary of it all, her eyes growing heavy. There was an instance, she could not fully recall it, where she woke to a ripping pain. She had turned her head in her sleep. She swiftly fought back the urge to cough, to make any sound. But the sudden onset of the episode had alarmed her. She could vaguely recall seeing Tig, standing there behind the grouping of hospital personnel as they tried to calm her. In the end, they had sedated her once more.

The rest of the day came to her in passing moments that hovered in a haze.

At some point Tig had left and Maddie could see Happy sitting over in the chair Opie had originally been in. He was saying something to a nurse that hovered over her.

Dr. Gallagher took a look over her chart, checking the notes the nurses had made. She remembered him leaving the room, but then she too was leaving the room. More tests. Whatever tests they were, they mustn't have required her to be awake.

When she next opened her eyes, there was a nurse back in the room with her. The side tray had been pulled up. There was a small bowl of soup. It was really just the broth. Cooled. Bobby was on the other side of the hospital bed. He was talking on the phone while watching her. The nurse was holding the bowl of soup up to her, another straw in it. Kept telling her to take small sips. She remained awake long enough to finish half of the bowl. Another nurse had come in, asking Bobby to step out, and then she was helped to the restroom. A brace was put on her neck for the process. After being helped back into the bed, the brace was removed. Maddie saw Bobby once more before closing her eyes again. She didn't wake again until some time in the night.

There were voices in her room. She must have been sedated again, she hadn't the strength or even care to open her eyes. Was that Jax she heard? And the other. It sounded like she was in a tunnel, only catching hints of what was being said. Who was that other person? For just a moment, she urged her lids open.

_How did her know she was here?_ Her thoughts answered her wonder. _Roosevelt. _

Chibs had delayed going back to the hospital. He was not a man riddled with debts in his life. For the longest time, he carried only one. To Samcro. For approving his transfer from Sambel. Surely it had saved his life. At the very least, added some years to it. For his debt, he was ever loyal to the club. Only once had he faltered. With Stahl. But he dug himself out of that hole.

He'd do the same now. He and the club would find the men that attacked Maddie. He'd kill them. He'd make sure no one ever came after her again. He and the club would look after her for as long as she wanted. The men liked her well enough; they wouldn't mind. And she seemed to like them, at least that's what he thought. What he actually found himself hoping.

And yet, Chibs found himself thinking of the other side of his debt to Maddie. Though he only saw there being one choice in matters, he had always been aware of the other possible routes to be taken. He thought of what Jax said to him when he confronted him about planning to leave the club. To walk out. He had been livid, that the man would actually just toss in the kutte. Jax had asked him if he wouldn't do the same, if there were that chance he could be with Fiona and Kerrianne. What had he told him? _I can't have that chance._ The only chance he had was the club.

But Maddie. She wasn't him. She could have chances. If the girl wanted, if the club was too much for her, she could walk. Something that none of them were able to do. Not without a target on their backs. Maddie could leave Charming. Leave California. Go somewhere where no one knew her. Go back to a normal life. Without the Sons.

Still, there he was, preparing to bring her into his house, not knowing how long she could possibly be staying there. He was acting as if there was no other choice, ignoring that there was another. Hers.

Jax went back to Chibs' house with him, helping to get everything ready. Juice was called, told to come as well. Jax needed to leave, though he did not say what for. Did say that he would meet Chibs back at the clubhouse before they headed back to the hospital to check on Maddie.

Chibs was quiet for the most part while Juice was there. He kept his eye on the young man, still wary of him. Only he and Jax knew about Juice's attempted suicide. And had been keeping an eye on him ever since. Keeping him away from the cartel shit had helped. And Chibs had done what he could to calm the boy's nerves. So far, it seemed to be working. Still, better to keep an eye on him.

With the nearly unbroken silence between them, Chibs and Juice were able to move out the old crap in his house and move in the new things. Juice got to work on getting all of the electronics set up; the television, DVD player. He brought over his PS3 and some games. Told Chibs he used the Xbox more often anyways. Chibs just waved a hand off at him. If it was something that would make Maddie more comfortable then he didn't care. He just wanted it to get done.

Evening was just setting when the two finished and made their way back to TM to meet up with Jax. Juice was quick to ask if there was any update about Maddie.

"Doctors sedated her again," Jax told them. He had just gotten done talking to Bobby. "Said she woke up, when Tig was there, had a fit. Better now. Just got done eating. You guys finish setting things up?" Chibs told him yes. "Well let's go." Jax and Chibs looked behind to Juice. "You coming?"

With a hop, Juice followed after them to their bikes. The trio was readying to pull out when a silver Range Rover came into the parking lot. Jax killed his engine and shook his head, wondering what this could all be about. He glanced over to Chibs and Juice.

Elliot Oswald came out from Rover, leaving the door open as he strode over to the three men. Jax got off of his bike to meet him. The other two stayed back. But Oswald pushed his way past Jax, shoulder crashing into him as he made straight for Chibs.

Chibs realized what had happened only after realizing he was splayed out on the ground.

Oswald had punched him and was now being restrained by Jax and Juice as he yelled out obscenities to Chibs. "You fucking asshole! What did you do?" Jax shoved against Oswald, taking a stance between them.

"What the _fuck_ is this?" Jax demanded. He looked quickly over to Chibs, who was picking himself up, rubbing at his jaw. Juice was still holding Oswald back.

The man calmed, somewhat. Juice still held onto him. Oswald raised his hands up, in defeat, and finally Juice stepped away. "Madison." He rubbed his knuckles, inspecting them to see if he broke the skin.

The three Sons exchanged confused looks.

"What about her?" Chibs asked and Oswald looked coldly up to him.

"I get a call from Roosevelt, saying I might want to head down to St. Thomas. That my cousin was thrown down a staircase."

"…_cousin_?" Jax asked, exasperated. He looked over to Juice, wanting to know why the hell he didn't tell them about this earlier. But Juice only shrugged, shaking his head; he had no clue that Madison was cousin to fucking Elliot Oswald. He'd only done a quick check on Madison. And the others, they said that was good enough.

Chibs spit a blob of blood out from his mouth, wiping at his cheek.

Jax looked from Oswald to Chibs, just shaking his head. "Shit," he muttered. "Shit."

"Who did this?" Oswald asked, eyes still intent on Chibs.

"We don't know," he answered Oswald.

Elliot took a slow breath to steady himself. "And whoever attacked her before, when she was saving your ass?"

"Those men have been dealt with," Jax told him.

Oswald paced before them, hands on his hips. "And so what, this—someone throwing her down the stairs, in her own _house_—is that just something extra for hanging around here?" He shook his head.

"We are doing everything that we can," spoke Jax, trying to keep the peace. "We thought she was safe—"

"Well you were wrong!"

"We know! Alright? We know." Jax nodded over to Chibs. "We're going to protect her. Fix this. We won't let her out of our sight."

Oswald chuckled, shaking his head. Protecting her. That's what they had _been_ doing and still she ended up in the hospital. Again.

"We're going to the hospital," Juice said with caution. "To see her." Oswald eyed him for a moment. He nodded. Then walked back to his car and got in. The three men hurried to get on their bikes and follow after him.

Again, they were unsure of what to expect when they arrived at the hospital. The three of them fell back as Elliot made his way in to the hospital. Jax pointed out which hall and room Maddie was in. The man slowed as the room came up to them. He looked in through the window first and his breath stilled. He stared at the ground, setting his mind, before going inside.

Bobby rose from his chair, watching Oswald, but stilled when he saw Jax, Chibs, and Juice behind him. Oswald came to stand at the foot of her bed. He just watched her with a scowl. Jax, unsure of things, began to quietly tell him of her prognosis. Oswald asked why there was gauze on her throat.

"Had to perform surgery," Chibs said, his eyes, too, on Maddie. "There was a tear, in her vocal chords. Was causin' her too much pain."

Their voices remained low, but began to fill with anger as Oswald accused them of doing this to her. "Someone knows, someone with a grudge against you, and so they came after her." He looked to Jax. "What's your plan now? Let me guess," he said, looking over to Bobby. "Keep one of your guys on her. For how long?"

Maddie could hear them. Hear the voices. Talking of her. She managed her eyes open just long enough to see the retreating back of her cousin leaving the hospital room. They drifted closed afterwards. There were others, still talking, but she could not make out the words as they faded away and sleep came over her.

The room was dark, save for the light coming from the television. The sound was off. Maddie's eyes moved about the room. Where was Bobby? Where was…Jax? And Elliot. Where was her cousin? Perhaps it was just a dream and he had never really been there. She saw a form in the corner of her eye and looked to her right. Chibs sat in the chair, arms crossed as he crouched a bit, sleeping. A pillow was tucked away behind him, he leaning against it. Maddie grabbed at her side. The beads bad been placed back in her hand; she let them go and picked up her phone. It was 3:16AM.

She lied there, staring at the ceiling. With a frown. This had only been day one. Didn't matter how much longer she'd have to stay there in the hospital, it was going to drive her crazy. Just lying there in bed, unable to speak. Unable to move. Unable to breathe without her ribs hurting. Maddie pursed her lips in frustration. Her eyes moved back to Chibs' sleeping form.

She wanted to hate him. To hate the club. She just…wanted something to blame. Someone. Someone that she could readily see and place that blame on. She stared long and hard at Chibs. But the anger was tiring and the longer she watched the faster it faded from her. She saw the red mark on his face and could not help but to wonder what had happened.

Her eyes snapped to the door as someone entered quietly.

It was a nurse. She moved on soft feet to Maddie's bed. She checked the machines and the bags on the IV stand. The woman looked from Maddie to Chibs. "He's been here since 6:30," the nurse told her. With everything in check, the woman left and Maddie returned her watch to Chibs.

She did not think that chair was comfortable. He did not look comfortable in it. Maddie raised a hand from the bed, reaching out for him. But he was leaning away in the chair. Out of her reach. She scrunched her brow, looking for some way to wake him. The notepad was on the tray, on the other side of Chibs. She wanted to wake him somehow, to ask what had happened to him, if they had found the men that did this to her. Maddie grabbed the beads in her hand, picking them up. She reared her arm back, ready to smack the other end of the necklace on Chibs' arm.

The necklace was placed softly back down on the side of the bed.

She didn't know why she stopped from waking him.

She fell back asleep, waking what seemed hours later, when in truth not even a full one had gone by. She could hear the sink in the restroom running. It was turned off and the door opened. Maddie closed her eyes and listened as Chibs returned to the chair.

He sighed, looking over her still form under the blankets. Chibs picked up the beads from her side, collecting the necklace in his hand. He stood, placing it back in Maddie's hand. He looked over the plastic railing on the side of the bed for a few seconds. He figured out how to lower the thing and then picked his chair up, repositioning it.

Maddie could feel a dip in the hospital bed as Chibs crossed his arms and rested his head next to her side.

**I am in desperate need of a nap, so I'm just going to say, drama bomb! Maddie's related to Oswald!**

**Bravo to those that guessed The Count of Monte Cristo! You guys were right in the connection of the quote to the story (: **

**Thanks for the reviews guys! For the new faves and follows, you guys just keep multiplying! **

**Be sure to leave reviews, how you guys think Maddie will react once out of the hospital, at Chibs' house. **


	13. Chapter 13

**Have I mentioned how awesome you guys are? 'Cause you guys are totally awesome! Thanks so much for the reviews! You rock! So much fun to see you guys mentioning things in your reviews and me going, "you're so right! You're in my head!" Haha, a lot of you are spot on with things that are going to happen. Great to see that we're all thinking the same thing (: **

**So here's another chapter, think this may be the longest one yet. **

**Enjoy! **

Chibs awoke a few hours later into the morning, when a nurse came in once again to check on Maddie. He raised his head, rubbing at his face. He looked to Maddie, seeing that she was already awake, staring up at the television, remote in hand. He gave her a sleepy half-smile and sat up in the chair, pushing it away from the bed so the nurse could get around. Checking his phone he saw that he hadn't missed any calls. With a glance over to Maddie, he got up and stepped outside, calling Jax.

"Oswald's going back over there," Jax told him. "Guy's insistent that he talk to Madison."

Chibs looked around the hall, making sure no one was within earshot. "Yeh sure that's a good idea?"

He could practically hear Jax shrug over the phone. "Not like we have much of a choice. Told him to make up some lame excuse to be at the hospital. For all we know, whoever attacked her might have been 'cause of him."

Chibs nodded, thinking it over. "Aye." Jax said that Juice would be coming by to watch Maddie. "Yeh set up a meet with Pope?" he asked.

"Still waiting for his muscle to call with a time and place," Jax answered with a sigh. "Listen, let's keep the Oswald thing to ourselves."

"Sure thing, Jackie-boy."

The call ended and Chibs stood in the hall, waiting for the nurse to be done with Maddie. He raised a brow when Juice came round the corner, a bulky backpack over his shoulder. He looked like he was ready to go on a robbery; wearing camo pants and black zip-up jacket. Underneath he wore a simple white shirt and his kutte. He stopped and looked towards Maddie's door, his mouth slightly open.

"She's fine," Chibs told him with an exasperated tone. "Nurse jus' checking on her."

Juice nodded his head, moving to lean against the wall. Backpack on the floor next to him. Chibs looked to it and asked what was in it. Juice glanced down the hall.

"Just some stuff."

Chibs shook his head. When the nurse left the room, Chibs and Juice went inside. Maddie was sitting more upright than she had been. She looked past Chibs to Juice, eyeing the backpack he carried. He set it in a chair and unzipped it. Chibs scoffed when he saw that the boy had brought a DVD player and handful of movies and cords. Stacking up all the films, Juice brought them over to Maddie.

"Kinda, just grabbed everything," he told her quietly. He stood back, hands on his waist as Maddie picked through them. He looked over to Chibs with a bit of anxiety, hoping he had brought at least one film she'd watch. There was relief when Maddie smiled and picked up _Casino._ She never did get the chance to finish it. Juice gathered the other films up and stuffed them away in the backpack. He got to work on setting up the DVD player. He had brought cords long enough to reach to the television set.

Chibs looked down at his watch and then stepped back outside the room. Maddie followed him with her eyes, wondering what was going on. And why she wasn't in on it. She scrunched her brow and looked away. Her face softened into a smirk as she saw Juice fighting with a knot in the cords. Chibs came back into the room and watched Juice continue to fight with the knot, flipping the cords this way and that, trying to find an end. He shook his head.

"Gonna head out," Chibs told Juice and then looked over to Maddie. For a short moment there was silence. Juice nodded his head, not saying or asking anything. Chibs reached out and squeezed at Maddie's hand. He then pointed to Juice, eyeing him. "Yeh call if there's any news." Juice nodded, still staring at the knot in his hands. "Hey!" He looked over to Chibs.

"Yeah. Yeah, anything new, call."

Chibs left, saying he'd return later, and Maddie was left wondering when exactly that would be. Seeing as how yesterday it turned out to be in the evening. And this day had just begun. She watched as Juice finally managed to get the knot out of the cords and began plugging things in. He grabbed a chair and moved it under the television set. He stood on it, cords in hand, trying to figure out where the outlets were on it. He muttered to himself.

The door opened and a nurse came in with Maddie's breakfast. Juice paused mid movement, hand pressed against the television to steady himself. He gave the nurse a goofball smile and chuckled. He remained quiet as the nurse looked him over and what he was doing. She turned away from him and set the food on the tray and pushed it over to Maddie.

"Dr. Gallagher is going to come by later today, do another check on things," the nurse told Maddie. She explained how Maddie was to begin eating regular meals, but to thoroughly chew everything.

When the nurse left Juice looked over to Maddie, chuckling. At least she hadn't pestered him for standing on hospital property or tinkering with hospital property. The nurse had asked if Maddie would like any help with her breakfast, but wrote _NO_ on the notepad. Juice finished setting up the DVD player and stepped away, messing with the remote to get the film started. As the picture came up he smiled to himself, proudly, and turned to Maddie. She had been watching him; now that things were set up, she began removing the lid from her plate. She was given rather easy foods to eat for the morning. Scrambled eggs, applesauce, pancakes, and small cartons of milk and orange juice. Maddie pushed the small plate of pancakes away from her on the tray. Juice looked over to her quickly. He had taken the chair that Chibs sat in.

"You don't want them?" Juice asked, trying to not sound excited. He hadn't eaten anything that morning, too busy going through his collection of films in his dorm and back at his house.

Maddie wrote on the notepad that the pancakes didn't have any blueberries in them, therefore, she didn't want them. Juice chuckled and sat up further in his chair. He shrugged out of his jacket and kutte, taking the plastic fork that Maddie offered him. He did his best to not scarf the pancakes down. Maddie ate slowly at her plate of scrambled eggs, taking small bites. A few times she'd glance over to Juice, wondering if he was just sitting there watching her eat, waiting to see if she'd choke. But he was too engrossed in the pancakes and the film. He'd feel her watching him and would look over to her with a sheepish smile, making a comment about the film.

Chewing came easy enough for Maddie. Wasn't like her jaw was broken. She was pleased when she didn't start a coughing, choking fit. Her throat was beyond sore. It didn't feel as if there was any actual pain. It was the soreness that got to her. A slightly sharp ache every time she swallowed. Her abdomen, on the other hand, now there was pain. Every inhale and exhale brought a steady pang. No matter how she was situated in that hospital bed did not help. There was no such thing as comfort with four fractured ribs. Not even in sleeping.

Juice did his best to not say much to Maddie. He wasn't unaware, how he usually had a hard time with closing his mouth once it was opened. He was sure she'd get tired of having to write everything down, only hearing her voice in her head. If he leaned back in his chair, Juice would glance over her. Seeing the scrapes and bruises trailing on her. When Jax had told him to go sit with Maddie for the morning he had also told him to keep his mouth shut. Not to upset her; if she asked any questions to just feign that he was in the dark. He didn't want Maddie knowing about Oswald just yet. So Juice reminded himself that she was not a Son. It was just better for everyone if she knew as little as possible. Chibs had said similar things to him earlier, when it had been decided that someone would be staying with her at all times.

It was close to 11AM when Dr. Gallagher came into the room. He looked over to Juice for a moment and then to Maddie. He said that he wanted to do a diagnosis, seeing what progress, if any, had been made. Maddie wrote _OKAY_ on the notepad and the doctor resigned to allow Juice to remain in the room. He sat in the chair, looking like a child that had been caught redhanded. One of his feet bounced up and down on the floor as Dr. Gallagher began asking Maddie to do this or that.

He said that the swelling was still going down, which was good. He asked how Maddie handled eating breakfast, what sort of pain or discomfort she felt. He had her then slowly turn her head from side to side. There was soreness, but no pain. "Could also be all the painkillers we have you on," he said lightly with a laugh. Her ribs were still hurting, but Dr. Gallagher said there was little they could do about that, aside from the painkillers. "The fractures aren't _horrible_, but with four of them, it will take time to heal." Juice piped up, asking just how long. "Anywhere from six to ten weeks. Two of the fractures are on the same rib, more like hairline fractures, so it isn't as bad as it sounds." He checked her span of movement, having her turn from side to side, assessing the level of pain that came with it. "I'm going to say that you can start, and I stress _start_ here, to move around. Let's just take baby steps, turning your head, sitting taller in bed now. Key here is to not overdo it. Tomorrow we'll work on getting you up and moving."

_WHEN WILL I GET TO LEAVE?_

"Tomorrow…day after tomorrow. Again, let's just focus on the baby steps for now."

Maddie, and Juice, were surprised when later Opie came around. "Not like I'm skipping out on anything," he said. He eyed the set up Juice had going on with the DVD player and chuckled. "Doctors say anything?" he asked Juice. Maddie was glad she wouldn't have to write it all out. Juice told him what Dr. Gallagher had said and then his face fell.

"Shit! I gotta call Chibs." He stepped out from the room to call him up and let him know the update on Maddie. He left out the part where he had been told all this by the doctor nearly 3 hours prior.

The day was the same as the one before, except this time Maddie was awake the entire time. No sedation to pass the time. Not even a nap. Her body was fed up with sleeping it appeared. Juice did his best to keep her occupied, popping one film after another into the player for them. He tried to get small conversations going with Opie. They didn't speak of things to do with the club much. Anything they did mention had to do with the actual auto shop. Talk of the shopping that went on the day before came up.

"You gonna be crashing at Chibs'?" Opie asked Maddie and she slowly gave a small nod. Juice began raving about how comfortable the new bed was and Opie raised a brow. "Was the old one comfortable too?" He chuckled as Juice looked confused and then his eyes went wide, he exclaiming that he was just saying, the bed was nice. "Something you want to tell us Juice?" Juice chose to close his mouth.

His stomach began to rumble and asked Opie if he would stay while he went and got some food. Opie waved him off and Juice took off, saying he'd be back soon as possible.

After he was gone, Opie came and sat in the chair next to Maddie. "You okay with staying with Chibs?" he asked. He suddenly sounded tired. "You don't have to, you know?" His shoulders shook with a chuckle. "You want to skip town, ain't nothing they're going to do to stop you." Maddie studied him for a moment, processing his words. Opie looked over to her; he had been staring off to the television set. He shook his head. "Bad day," he told her, then added as an afterthought, "been a lot of those lately." Maddie fought back the want to ask about those bad days; perhaps it was for the best. No one ever wanted to relive bad days.

He kept quiet until Juice returned, having gotten two philly cheesesteaks for them. To say that Maddie was jealous would have been an understatement. Juice told her that he had talked to Chibs; he'd be coming by at 6.

Things went well for the rest of the day, although Maddie felt that a shadow had fallen over the room. Whatever had been pulling at Opie, Juice was aware of it. And it pulled at him as well. Again, Maddie wondered about them. Wondered what was putting such a weight on both men that they couldn't even manage to keep it hidden from her. She saw how Opie never really looked over to Juice, but how he'd looked to her, with some strange mix of pity and want. Like he wanted to tell her something. Another warning maybe. And Juice, he watched Opie with worry. With that urge rising and falling to say something. And then he'd zone off for a moment, thinking of who knew what. He'd snap back out of it, trying to hide another shade of worry.

As the afternoon passed, Maddie thought that the day would finish uneventful. Her phone had died, but Juice made a quick run to the clubhouse to get a charger for her. She was waiting for 6 to come, wondering if Chibs would actually show up. She didn't have a clue where he was or what he was doing. No one told her anything. And no one called her. She had received a few calls yes, from classmates and neighbors, asking where she was, if she was okay. She either passed the phone to one of the Sons or had a nurse call the people back and give them the smallest of information on what had happened to her.

The light coming in from the hallway was blocked and a second later the door was opened. Opie and Juice sat up straighter in their chairs. Opie rose, eyeing Elliot Oswald as he came in. His left wrist was in a brace. Juice rubbed his hands on his pants, looking from Oswald to Maddie.

Maddie raised a hand towards Opie, signaling that things were okay. He asked what was going on. Juice startled on his own words. Oswald spoke up, nodding to Maddie.

"She's my cousin."

Opie looked to Juice, waiting for some sort of confirmation. Juice nodded. "Jax knows," he told him. Opie looked to Maddie; she slowly nodded.

With his guard still up, Opie stepped back, taking his seat again. He watched as Oswald approached Maddie's bed. He raised his left arm, with a small smile. His cover for being there at the hospital. Juice looked over to Opie, eyeing the door. With a nod, Opie got up and left the room, calling Jax. Juice knew that Oswald wasn't supposed to show up there at the hospital until Jax and Chibs came too.

Oswald asked Juice what the doctors had said, if anything. Juice recounted the things from earlier. He got up from the chair and let Elliot sit in it as he came to stand next to Maddie's bed. He asked when she'd be released. Juice said in maybe two days.

"And…the plan after that?" Elliot asked, looking to his young cousin.

Maddie picked up the notepad and pen. _I'M GOING TO STAY WITH FILIP._

Elliot nodded. "Chibs. Is that what you want?" He looked over to Juice, then back to Maddie. She nodded.

_IT'S THE BEST PLAN WE HAVE._

"You're in here because of them," he said to her, trying to remain calm. "Staying with them, will only put a bigger target on you, you know that." Oswald watched Juice. "We'll fly you out to Georgia." He had an aunt that had moved out there after her husband died. Maddie could live with her. His mind was running through it all, planning everything out, how to get her out of Charming and away from Sam Crow. "You can stay with Linda. It's just her in that house now. You can keep her company."

"We're gonna find the guys that did this," Juice interjected from the corner, uneasy on his feet.

"Like you did the ones that shot her car up?" Oswald snapped at him. Yes, he had found out the whole truth of the matter, of what had happened. He knew about the shooting. Knew about someone breaking into her house. He looked over to Maddie again. "Once you're in their pockets, you can't get out."

Maddie tightened her muscles. She was chewing at her lower lip, staying at her hands in her lap. Juice was still trying to argue with Oswald as Opie came back into the room, adding his voice to the chaos.

"_Fil…ip." _

The men stopped their growing shouting match. All turned to Maddie. Her face was traced in frustration as she did her best to steady her breathing, to keep her pulse low. She spoke quietly, like a whisper. The voice that came out was foreign to her ears. She had never had a cheery, light girl's voice. It had always been deeper, if that term could be used. It was warmer. Now, and perhaps the whispering exaggerated it all, there was a smokiness to it, a coldness.

"_I'm…staying…with…Filip." _

Maddie felt a snag in her throat and looked over the tray, snapping her fingers at Juice to give her the pitcher of water. He rushed to pour her a cup and handed it over. She slowly drank from it, keeping the flow down her throat to soothe it. The soreness was now tinged with a pain. She picked up the notepad, knowing just saying those few words was not a good idea.

_WHOEVER DID THIS MUST HAVE BEEN WATHCING ME. YOU WANT ME TO GO TO GEORGIA? WHAT IF I GET FOLLOWED? _Maddie shook her head after Elliot read what she wrote. _WE'RE BOTH IN THEIR POCKET NOW. _

"If," Opie began with his head hung, "…she tries to just leave…we don't know who did this. For all we know, these guys know you two are related." He looked sadly to Maddie. "She's best off the further she is from your family."

_YOU KNOW HE'S RIGHT._ _YOU SHOULD LEAVE NOW. I'LL STAY IN TOUCH._

The door to the room cried out as Chibs pried it open. He marched into the room, Jax behind him, both staring from Oswald to Maddie.

"Thought I told you to wait till we got here," Jax said in a quiet voice.

Oswald looked to Maddie. He sighed, defeated. He had tried. That counted for something. She was a second-cousin. Only met up during the holidays. Everyone that knew about their relation was standing in that room with him. No one else in Charming knew. No one who could use it against Maddie.

He just knew it. This attack on Maddie, it came because of the Sons. But what could she do? The cops in this town were a joke. The Sons accomplished more than they did; albeit it wasn't always on the sunny side of the law, they got things done.

He felt out of place in that room. He looked to Jax and Chibs, eyes lingering on the latter. "I want to know what's going on. I'll keep my mouth shut, keep the cops out of this, but if anything happens, I want to know about it."

Jax agreed.

Oswald turned on Chibs, looking him over. He said nothing and left.

Jax sighed, pacing slightly round the room. Chibs shook his head, walking over to the chair he usually sat in. Juice began to explain that Oswald had just showed up, they didn't now. Couldn't stop it. Jax quieted him, saying it was out of their hands. That everything was fine.

Without much notice, Jax, Opie, and Juice left. Chibs remained in the room with Maddie. Her dinner was brought in shortly afterwards and so she ate in silence as Chibs stepped out to talk on the phone. It was soup again, but this time she actually got more than just the broth. It was evident that Chibs was upset with Oswald showing up at the hospital and trying to talk with Maddie on his own. After her finished dinner was taken away, Maddie tapped at her cheek, looking at Chibs. He rubbed at his face and nodded.

"Your cousin." He noticed how she actually had her head turned to him. "Doing better?" he asked her nodding to her neck. Maddie nodded in return and he gave her a small smile. "That's good."

Maddie grabbed the notepad. _ARE YOU STAYING THE NIGHT? _

"If yeh want, love." Maddie didn't take long to nod a yes to him.

She wanted to ask what had happened that day, where he had been. If they knew anything about the attack on her. Chibs actually didn't know much. Jax knew more than him. A meet had never been set up with Pope. His muscle didn't even call him back to say there wouldn't be a meet. Pope himself called. It was a short and simple call. Pope did most of the talking. Jax did the fuming.

"Why would I go off and start a new beef with the Sons, after just ending one?" Pope had asked Jax.

"Well someone went after this girl. Threw her down the fucking stairs."

"Yes. I know. You've told me this already. And I am telling you, this was not on my orders. I will look into it, if it'll please you, see if any of my men know something that might help you." But Pope had a point to make and the point was right. "If I were you, I'd be asking just one question, Jackson. Who knew about the girl?"

Jax told Chibs simply that Pope wasn't involved in the attack on Maddie. He had that look about him that told Chibs not to ask any questions. He still had them of course.

He stayed with her for the night and in the morning left again. He returned in the afternoon, being told in the morning that Dr. Gallagher wanted to assess Maddie for possible release. He was going to be around sometime in the afternoon. When Chibs got back to the hospital, he saw Bobby standing outside in the hall. The doctor and nurses were already in there with Maddie.

"Trying to get her to speak," Bobby told Chibs, leaning against the wall. Chibs strained to try and hear something, anything. He heard Dr. Gallagher telling Maddie to simply answer yes or no to questions. If she was indeed answering, Chibs couldn't hear her. Her voice was too low. Or she wasn't speaking at all. Minutes went by before the door opened and nurses came out. The doctor was last. None said anything to Chibs or Bobby. Going inside, the two saw Maddie sitting on the bed, legs dangling off the side, fully dressed. She held onto her left side as she turned her head to look at the men.

"I'm free," she spoke quietly. She smiled when Bobby clapped his hands. Chibs came to stand in front of her, staring down at her. He looked at her neck and face, how she held onto her side.

"Yeh can leave now?" he asked her and she nodded. He gave her a small scowl, pointing at her side. "Yeh sure?"

"Let's get you outta here," Bobby said, before Maddie could give a snarky response to Chibs.

Maddie spoke slowly, stringing the words together one by one. "I have to wait. For my drugs."

"Aye. I'll go get your car," said Chibs. There wasn't a chance in hell she'd be riding on a bike.

A half hour later, Chibs was back with her car, having left his bike over at her place. He called TM, told them to send someone over to get his bike, drop it off at his house. Bobby was still waiting with Maddie. He had called Jax, letting him know that Maddie was being released. Jax, in turn, called Oswald. The call was very short.

Maddie was thankful to be leaving the hospital. So glad that she didn't even mind being pushed out in a wheelchair to the car. Anything to get her out of there. Bobby carried her bag filled with medications, along with the backpack Juice had left behind, the DVD player back in it. Maddie knew it wouldn't be an easy task, getting into her car. It took Chibs more than a moment to figure out how to help her up; every spot on her body was a sore spot. Once in the seat, Maddie felt rather ready for a nap. Chibs reached over her, doing his best to not touch her, and did up her seatbelt before shutting the door.

As they drove, Chibs told Maddie, "Gonna stop over your house. So yeh can get your things." He watched her, to see her reaction.

Maddie turned slightly to him, nodding. "Okay."

Saying _okay_ was something easy. Once at the house though, Maddie started to become unsure. She allowed Chibs to help her from the car and lead her into the house.

Chibs and Bobby stood back, giving Maddie her space as she slowly walked around the house. Her eyes lingered at the spot before the stairs, where she had fallen. She could remember bleeding. Seeing her blood. But the carpet was spotless. She looked up the staircase to the hallway. Bobby told her that they had the prospects come by and clean things up for her. Even redid the load of laundry in the wash. The cleaned clothes were on her bed.

Maddie softly said, "Thank you." She began walking to the kitchen, thinking she should toss the contents of the fridge out. But Bobby told her the prospects had also taken care of that. So she instead made for the stairs slowly. As that first step came up to her, Maddie was unsure if she'd be able to make it all the way up. She'd be needing to take a breather halfway likely.

"Come on," Chibs spoke, walking up behind her. He rested a hand on her back, applying as little pressure as possible. "Up yeh go." She stretched her arms out. One hand guided over the wall while the other clutched on to the staircase.

The pain started to spread out from her left side. Maddie lowered her hand to her side, holding it. Chibs sighed and scooted her over on the steps, coming up along her left side. Knowing what he was doing, Maddie carefully raised her arm and wrapped it around his side, clutching onto his kutte. She pulled against him as she took each step and Chibs rested his arm around her shoulders. They moved a bit faster this way and the pain was less for Maddie.

Once up in the hallway, Maddie stopped for a moment, looking at the area. No sign of what had happened. Chibs remained back as Maddie turned and went into her room. He entered when he heard her calling for him. She stood before her closet.

"Can you reach that for me?" she asked, pointing to a suitcase tucked away up in her closet.

Chibs grabbed and set it down on her bed while Maddie began going through the clean clothes on her bed. He headed back out to the hallway and waited. Maddie move around slowly in the bedroom, going from the dresser to the suitcase, folding every item up. Leaning over carefully to place each piece in its place. She went into the restroom and grabbed at more items. There was an old backpack on the floor of her closet that she picked up. She put all of the bathroom items in it. Maddie didn't think that Chibs would have a blow dryer or straightener at his house. She grabbed both from a drawer in the bathroom, setting one on the counter while she began to wrap the cord of the blow dryer up.

Chibs hadn't heard any noise coming from the bedroom for a moment. With a quirk of his mouth, he leaned his head in, looking for Maddie. Not being able to see her, he stepped in, and saw her in the bathroom. He was going to ask if she was okay.

She stood there, staring at herself in the mirror. She had set the blow dryer down. She looked sadly at her reflection, a hand rising to brush over the scar that would be forming on her brow. Her hand shook. Taking a deep breath, Maddie looked down to her left side with a frown. She took another breath, this one deeper, even though it hurt her to do so. Her other hand clutched at the counter of the sink and Maddie lowered her head. She could barely see Chibs standing there; moment she did, she turned.

Chibs was taken aback. To see her standing there, tears streaming down her face. But the sadness he'd just seen was quickly gone, replaced. It was pure anger. She took an unsteady breath and gasped at the pain, cowering over the sink. Chibs stepped to her quickly and Maddie was fast to lean into him. The position still gave her discomfort, but it seemed that everything did, no matter what. Mindful, Chibs cradled her against him. He pulled her around so that he leaned against the wall.

As Maddie calmed, she slowly pulled away from him. She picked up the blow dryer and straightener, carrying them into the bedroom and dropping them into the backpack. Chibs followed after her when he heard her zipping it and the suitcase closed.

"I'm ready," she told him.

Chibs held onto her shoulder and looked her over. He grabbed the suitcase and backpack, taking them halfway down the stairs before Bobby took them from him. He headed back to the bedroom. Maddie was sitting on the bed, just looking around at everything, wondering when she'd be able to come back. He came and sat down next to her. She asked him how far his house was from hers. Ten minutes. She asked if there were any stairs. He chuckled, and told her no, there were no stairs. He told her that his house was smaller than hers. There was a restroom down the hall from the room she'd be staying in. But, she could have his room, if she wanted. It had its own. Maddie asked about her bed, asked if it was more comfortable than his. She told him what Juice had said, giving himself up.

Chibs shook his head at hearing this. "Don't know," he told her. Jax had told him she'd need a bed that was rather soft. He thought his own was soft, but the one that had been picked out for Maddie, it was like lying around in a heap of marshmallows. "Yeh rather have my bed, yeh can." Maddie nodded with a smile. "Anything yeh want, just name it."

The smile remained on her face. He helped her up from the bed and down the stairs. She kept quiet, though she knew of one thing that she wanted.

Vengeance.

**Yay! We're out of the hospital! It was even driving me crazy! So now we get to see how Maddie adjusts to being in Chibs' house and how he adjusts. Will do my best once again to get another chapter put up tomorrow (: **

**Starting next week I sadly won't be able to post every single day; semester is starting back up, but thankfully I only go for two days a week! Yay me! But, since I will be having to slow how quickly I get chapters posted, I'm going to be awesome and focus it all on Maddie and Chibs for you guys (: **

**So leave those reviews! Let me know if you have any little scenarios swimming in your heads about interactions between Maddie and Chibs. I know I'm already making my list (: For example, how the HELL is she going to manage taking a shower on her own? **


	14. Chapter 14

**Whew! Took longer than anticipated to get this chapter done. Been battling a major headache alllllllll freaking day. You know the type where anytime you move you head or try to walk around it gets worse? Yeah, been driving me nuts. **

**But, managed to get this chapter done. Again, didn't get to all that I wanted, but I'm sure you guys will still enjoy this chapter (: **

**Thanks to for all the reviews! You guys are beyond awesome (:**

**For those that have watched the show, well, you all know the next event after Dawn's murder that's coming up. So here's a favor I have for you guys. For anyone who would like to share their input about that event, please PM me. I have a very important question that I want to bounce off your minds to help determine the next couple of chapters (: **

There was never anything easy about coming into someone's house, them telling you to just _make yourself at home_. You very well couldn't do that. Wasn't your home. Their home was nothing more than walls and windows and doors to you. It was a house. Not a home. Not _your _home. Maddie had been able to pick out Chibs' house quickly as their turned onto his street. Just had to look for the motorcycle parked in the driveway. The house was smaller than hers; he had told the truth on that. It had a one-car garage, compared to her two. It was one story, instead of her two. Maddie listed off every difference she could as they pulled up to the house, all amounting to one simple thought.

This wasn't her home.

Chibs aided her out of the car, leading her inside. As she stood there looking around, he headed back outside to the car to grab her things. The door led straight to a living room, the walls a dark hue. To the back she could see an open-air kitchen and small dining area. Just past the kitchen was a hallway. Maddie glanced over to the couch in the living room, sitting before a low coffee table. She walked over, carefully easing herself down into the couch. She turned as Chibs closed the door behind him, carrying her backpack and suitcase. He set the suitcase down, leaning his weight on to it.

He nodded to the couch. "It's nice," Maddie told him truthfully. Was much nicer than being in that car seat, feeling every bump in the damn road. With the backpack slung over his shoulder, Chibs helped Maddie back up from the couch, showing her down the hallway. He opened a door to the right and let her in first.

The bedroom was smaller than hers, with little in it. Fewer things for her to crash into. There was of course the bed, a small nightstand next to it. Against the opposite wall was a long dresser. Atop it was flat screen she'd been told of, as well as the PS3 Juice had brought over. Chibs set her things down at the foot of the bed. He pulled at the bottom of his kutte, watching Maddie as he looked over the room. Her expression was a mystery. He showed her the bathroom that was down the hall, at the back. His room was at the front of the hall on the opposite side. Maddie peered inside as he pushed the door open.

He told her she was free to do as she liked. Any and everything he wouldn't want her to have access to was locked away in his room in a safe. The safe itself was tucked away into the nightstand.

She knew a portion of the day was still left, but Maddie didn't know what to do with it. She excused herself, saying that she wanted to lie down. She was just adjusting to being mobile again; the smallest of exertion took its toll on her. Chibs likely felt the same as she, not knowing what step to take next. He gave her a look over, nodding. He told her that if she needed anything, to just give a shout.

Maddie retreated back into her new room, closing the door softly behind her as she took the room in for a second time. Felt almost like she was checking into a hotel. There was part of her that wanted to be mindful. Don't spill anything, don't leave a mess for the maids, be sure to be quiet. She lowered herself on the bed and with sloth-like movements, bent over to untie her sneakers and peel them off. Straightening herself, Maddie sat for a moment, waiting as the extra discomfort faded. She took her phone from her pocket, looking at the time. It wasn't like she would be doing much—she didn't even know for how long she wouldn't be doing much. What did it matter if her sleeping schedule was out of whacks? She lied back on the bed, slowly raising her legs up onto it. A somber smile crossed her face as she adjusted. She could see why Juice had lied down on the bed. It was inviting.

Chibs sat out in the living room, not knowing what the hell to do. With Maddie or himself. Jax had told him to not worry about anything for the day, to just make sure Maddie adjusted finely to her new environment. Chibs was wishing there actually was something he could run off and do. Even with her tucked away in her new room it was still obvious that he wasn't alone in that house anymore. There was a shift in the air. He considered having one of the prospects cover the house while he just went the clubhouse. Anything to get out of that house until he could sort everything out.

He was grateful when Bobby showed up at the house. But soon as he arrived he asked Chibs for the keys to Maddie's car. Of course Chibs was confused; he just thought Bobby was stopping by to check on the girl. Still, he didn't ask any questions, only pointed to her keys that set on the kitchen counter. Bobby grabbed the keys, stopping to look through the kitchen real fast. He muttered to himself.

He left and returned with bags of groceries. Many bags. Chibs knew better and stayed out of his way. With everything that Bobby had laid out in the kitchen, he hadn't a clue what he was going to cook. Again, he knew better. No one ever questioned Bobby Munson and his cooking. While he was putting some things up, he carried two beers over to Chibs, saying he needed the space in the fridge.

Both men spotted Maddie the moment she appeared at the end of the hallway. Chibs sat at the dining table, beer in hand, while Bobby was actually putting the pots and pans in Chibs' kitchen to use. Chibs rose, thumbs tucked between his belt and jeans, watching Maddie carefully as she walked into the kitchen, leaning against the wall. She quietly asked what Bobby was cooking. He raised a lid off a pan and Maddie stepped closer to get a look in. It was a mixture of onions and garlic and bell pepper and more. She looked to the boxes on the counter. Maddie was fairly certain she could manage to eat some pasta without choking. Looking at everything that was going on in the kitchen, she was surprised that Bobby wasn't just making his own pasta. She voiced the thought.

Bobby's face actually fell a bit. "Betty Crocker over here doesn't have a mixer," he told her. He of course had one, with all the fancy attachments too. Maddie smiled. She'd rather laugh as little as possible. The short walk from the bedroom to the kitchen felt long for her.

Maddie continued to lean against the wall, eyes roaming over the kitchen. Chibs asked if she needed anything, seeing that blank look about her. "I need something to drink. To take my pills with." He thought that he didn't have much, but Bobby had been thinking and bought an assortment of drinks for Maddie; orange juice, milk to replace that expired carton in the fridge, two packs of sodas, and one pack of water. Bobby grabbed a soda from the fridge and handed it to Maddie. She took it and slowly made her way back into the bedroom.

She had set all the bottles of pills on the nightstand. Reading over each label, Maddie counted off the hours to when she could take them again. The doctor had given her two types of painkillers, which, lucky her, she could take together. She had another bottle filled with tiny sleeping pills. And, because she had, as Dr. Gallagher put it, been through a traumatic experience, she also had a prescription for an anti-anxiety medication. Orders were for her to begin taking the meds that evening. But 5PM was considered the evening. Wasn't it? Yes, in her book it was. Maddie opened the two bottles of painkillers, shaking out four pills in total. One of the painkillers, she'd only be able to take three dosages a day. The other one though, she could take that one four times a day. Then there was the anti-anxiety, twice a day. And the sleeping pill, well that one was obvious. Maddie had left a final medication in her suitcase. She recalled the awkwardness she felt when Dr. Gallagher said he was prescribing it for her. Birth control. He had voiced concern that if she was placed in a compromising situation again, things could develop into a worse matter.

Taking one pill at a time, Maddie managed to get all the medications down. She lied back down, waiting for the painkillers to kick in. She gently rose from the bed when Chibs knocked on the door.

"Yeh ready to eat?"

Chibs helped her up from the bed, standing back as she got on her feet and started walking. He asked if she was feeling better; she was moving slightly faster than before. Maddie pointed a finger over her shoulder, to the collection of bottles.

"I love it when the drugs kick in," she said.

The trio sat at the table and ate. As she had noticed at the hospital with Juice and Opie, there was no talk of the club. Nothing that sounded like things she shouldn't be hearing. Maddie made no comment about it, though it was obvious the men were purposely not bringing up club matters. Maddie ate slowly, cutting the pasta up with her fork into small bits. She took a sip from her glass of water after nearly every bite. She knew there was a great pain in her abdomen and that her throat was aching, but the painkillers had turned it all into a dullness. While she didn't feel carefree, she did have a lowered sense of care. A sort of devil may care frame of mind.

As Bobby and Chibs cleaned up in the kitchen, Maddie remained at the table. She asked what she'd be doing in the following days. Was she to stay there at the house? All day? Bobby looked over to Chibs. This was on him, she was his ward as it was.

"Can stay here if yeh want," he told her. Or she could go to the clubhouse. There'd always be someone there to watch her. Bobby made mention that she could help out with the paperwork, if she didn't want to just sit around in Juice's room playing videogames. Maddie gave no thought to asking about going to Stockton for her classes. Wasn't like the professors cared much during the summer, anyways. It was just an extra paycheck for them. And so few ever felt like dealing with actual paperwork. Many just put the work up online. Helped if you actually showed up for class, so you'd know what the hell was going on. Maddie figured she'd just wing it.

"Are you going to the clubhouse tomorrow?" she asked Chibs as he walked back over to the dining table, picking up his pack of cigarettes and lighter. He lit one up and took a drag off it, nodding in response to her. "I'll go, too." Chibs told her she could help Chucky out. Maddie raised her hands, wiggling her index fingers. Bobby laughed.

Maddie went back to the bedroom after Bobby left. He had put the leftovers away in the freezer in single serving containers. He told Maddie that Chibs never cooked. Chibs protested that he did cook.

"Yeah, you _do _cook. But doesn't mean you _can_ cook," Bobby said. "Never met anyone that's eaten your cooking, all died." Chibs had thrown a dishtowel at Bobby, but didn't argue. Man was right. On him not being able to cook anything that didn't came in a can or from the frozen section of the grocery store.

Maddie turned the TV on in the room, scooting herself to the center of the bed and resting her head against the wall. She kept the volume low, flipping through the channels anytime a commercial came on. It was close to 11 when Chibs knocked on the door, letting her know that he was heading off to bed. He asked if there was anything that she needed, but she said no. He asked if the bed was comfortable enough for her. She said it was.

She stayed awake for a couple more hours, until her head started to feel heavy. She had already taken another dosage of painkillers. The pain had begun to grow, but now was back to a dullness. Maddie switched the TV off and then looked around the room. She got up from the bed and bent her knees, going through her suitcase. She carried the clothing over to the dresser and put things away, leaving out a large men's shirt and pajama shorts. With her mind loose from the medication and tiredness, Maddie undid her jeans, sitting down on the bed to get them off. Having to bend over to get them off and to get the shorts on wasn't all that bad. She crumpled the jeans up and tossed them off to the side. Stifling a yawn, she grabbed the hem of her shirt and tried to raise it.

That was not so easy.

The sensation of the stretch was far from good. Even with the painkillers floating through her. It was like her ribs were trying to tear themselves free. And her breathing became tight. Maddie tried to get her arms through the sleeves. Well that didn't work either. Nor did pulling the shirt over her head from the collar. Every movement brought on that tearing feeling.

With a disgruntled sigh, Maddie rose from the bed and made for the door.

"_Filip. Fillip. Chibs. Filip. Filip." _

Chibs slowly woke up to a broken record repeating his name. As he cracked his eyes open he saw that a light was pooling into his bedroom from the hallway. He scowled, sight adjusting. He looked from his bed to see Maddie just standing there, an irritated look to her. Chibs quickly sat up.

"What's wrong, love?" He rubbed the sleep from his eyes, looking to his alarm clock. It was almost 2AM.

"I can't get my shirt off," she said with the most obvious tone. Chibs just stared at her for a moment. "My ribs are going to pop out if I try." She yanked on the hem of her shirt. "Just take it off so I can go to bed." Again, Chibs stared at her. She wanted him to do what? Since when did have her under his roof include having to take her shirt off? Wasn't like he _didn't_ want to do that. In all honesty, he wouldn't have minded a good fuck. But with four fractures in her ribs, he doubted he'd be getting her in his bed anytime soon. All this thinking must have been taking too long, for Maddie exhaled loudly and turned from him, making her way back out of the room. "I'll just call Tig," he could hear her saying.

Those words were just the cue to get Chibs out from under the covers, rushing over to Maddie's room in his bottoms and a wifebeater. He saw her looking for her phone. She had just grabbed it when she turned and saw him coming into the room. She sighed and set it back down.

"How many of those have yeh taken?" Chibs asked her, eyeing the medications on the nightstand.

"No more than I'm supposed to," she muttered. Chibs said nothing more, knowing that at least she wasn't chasing the drugs with a bottle of whiskey like he would have been doing. Maddie turned fully to face him, raising her arms straight up, keeping them as lax as possible. Being very mindful, Chibs grabbed the hem of her shirt and began raising it. Any thoughts he may have worried about having to keep at bay were quick to run and hide as his eyes fell over her abdomen. It was like someone had just splattered her in bruises. He could see the mark where she'd been kicked, the skin broken and discolored. There was a large bruise that skidded across the swell of her right breast. Maddie turned around, holding her hands over her bra, waiting for Chibs to undo the clasp for her. He halted for a moment, eyes roaming over her back and the splatter that matched her front. Mindlessly, he undid her clasp, hearing her mutter a small thanks. He left the room with quick steps and didn't stop to take a breath until he safely behind his bedroom door.

He had felt like shit when he saw her lying there at the foot of the stairs. Now, he just felt dead. And the self-hating just kept building. Even after the bruising faded away and her muscles were no longer beaten and sore, Maddie's fractured ribs would still be there. Doctor had said six to ten weeks for them to heal fully. Tara had added that she likely wouldn't be able to move around at an unbroken pace until around four weeks. Eventually the pain would give way to soreness, then to a dull throbbing, and finally she'd be better.

Chibs went into the kitchen, grabbing his pack of cigarettes and a beer from the fridge. He couldn't get the image of her skin out of his head. He sat out there for nearly an hour, finishing the pack before him. This wouldn't be an easy ten weeks. He just knew it. Not if he was constantly having to watch her struggle just to get up from a fucking chair.

He headed for the hallway, stopping to look over towards Maddie's door.

She was lying awake under the covers, staring over the ceiling. Fighting the urge to cry. At the hospital she had felt anger and then nothing. Arriving at her house, she felt scared and then rage. Now here with Chibs she was out of place. Scared. Upset. She couldn't settle on anything. The moment she began to feel something, it was replaced with something new. She admitted it, so she had taken the painkillers an hour, alright two hours, early. And it had affected her. But it was better than going through that slew of emotions. Of course now they'd been in her system for some time and that high was wearing off.

The next morning Chibs waited out in the kitchen for Maddie to appear. It was a little past 10AM when she did. She didn't make any mention of the previous night. She came out from her room, went into the restroom, and then came out to the kitchen. She had changed into a pair of pants, but still wore the large shirt.

"Sleep well?" Chibs asked her, grabbing a mug from the cupboard and filling it with coffee for her. Maddie nodded as she took the coffee black. She wrapped her hands around the mug, relishing in the warmth.

Maddie rose and went back to grab her bottles of medication. When Chibs saw them, he got up to get her a bottle of water. He watched as she shook four pills out from two bottles. When she noticed him eyeing the bottles, she pushed them across the table to him so he could read the labels, assuring him that she could take four.

"You and Jax, find anything out?" she asked, looking down at her mug.

Chibs shook his head. "Jax is working on it." This wasn't a good start to the morning, or the next ten weeks. "Might take some time, love. Have to make sure we get the righ' guys." He had a second thought. "If they're stupid enough, they'll try coming at yeh again." And he'd, along with the rest of the club, would be more than happy to put some bullet in those bastards.

Maddie nodded, taking another sip of coffee. She twisted one of the bottles of meds on the table. She asked what the plans for the day were; understanding that she'd have to do whatever Chibs laid out for her. There would be plenty of time spent in that house. Maddie preferred to get sick of the clubhouse first, so she'd still be able to come back to this house and be able to sleep.

"For starters, call your cousin. Let him know yeh ain't dead," Chibs answered, garnering a small smirk from Maddie. "Take yeh to the clubhouse so I can get some real work done. Yeh can help Chucky out if yeh want."

"Can I take a shower first?" Maddie asked. "…or a bath," she added, trying to figure out just how much she trusted herself to not slip and snap her neck.

Chibs nodded, telling her that towels were in the hallway, behind the door opposite her own. She got up from the table and started heading that way. As a cautious afterthought, Chibs called out, "Yeh need any help?" He really didn't want to help, but didn't have a choice.

Maddie stopped and came back out from the hall, her face full of thinking. "Think I can manage getting in. Might need help getting out." Chibs told her to yell if she needed him.

Since he hadn't said anything about a schedule, Maddie soaked in the bath for almost an hour. She had run the water hotter than what she was used to, wanting it to stay warm for a while. The heat brought her body serenity. There were moments where she even felt no pain in her ribs. And then she'd take a breath and it'd return.

When she was ready to get out, Maddie drained the bathtub and grabbed for the towel she has setting on the floor.

Chibs' cellphone rang and he expected it to be Jax. Looking at the number displayed, he gaped slightly in wonder, walking down the hall to the bathroom. He opened the door, sticking his head in. There in the tub, wrapped in a towel with her phone in hand was Maddie. She slowly lowered it.

"I didn't feel like yelling," she told him. Chibs snapped his phone closed and walked into the small space. At least she had that towel covering her.

He mostly just stood there, bent slightly over, acting as something for Maddie to pull herself up with. She again said, "Thanks," and then walked right on past him back into her bedroom to change.

He waited out in the living room, expecting for her to call for him. To do up her bra or something. But she didn't. Must have been able to manage it herself. She came out, dressed in a pair of pants and a button up plaid shirt, hair pulled back in a braid.

Chibs waited as Maddie grabbed her medications, tossing them in a purse she had brought. It was just an old raggedy thing she'd pick up on a drive to Long Beach. Chibs grabbed her keys from off the counter and led the way outside. He slid his sunglasses on as he opened her door. Felt strange to not be riding his bike. Maddie tossed her purse in first, then placed a foot on the running bar. She was regretting getting the stupid little Pathfinder. As she pushed her weight up she slung an arm around Chibs' shoulders to get some balance. For a second, he wasn't thinking, and Chibs tried to add some support for her by snaking his own arm around her waist. It was just enough pressure on her ribs that Maddie froze halfway. But Chibs couldn't just let go, not with her falling down. Maddie stuck a hand up, signaling him to just stay still. Chibs did his best to loosen his grip on her, but still keep her upright. Maddie slid the rest of the way into the car and Chibs was swift detangling himself from her.

The ride to the clubhouse was quiet. Once there, Maddie opened her door and waited for Chibs to come around to her side. She could see Juice over in the garage, waving at her. Tig stood behind him, giving an exaggerated mock of his wave, adding a little jumping. Maddie laughed. At least she would be entertained while here. The two men wiped their hands on some rags as they made their way over towards the car. Maddie swung her legs out the side of the car once Chibs stood before her. It wasn't the smartest move, on her part, she admitted afterwards when she thought back on it. As she made to get out of the car, Chibs had rested his hands at her hips, thinking that she was just going to slide out from the car. That would have been the easier, or at least less awkward choice. Instead she placed a foot on the running bar, pushing herself up before taking that step down with the other foot. But that little push upwards caused Chibs' hands to slid down over her thighs, fingers just grazing her ass, as she gripped onto his shoulder for steadiness. When she stepped down fully to the ground Maddie kept her head lowered for a moment, feeling a slight heat to her cheeks. She didn't look up to Chibs, not wanting to acknowledge his touch.

She was thankful as Tig's voice filled the air, breaking the silent tension between herself and Chibs.

He had his arms spread wide, shaking his head as he and Juice approached the car. "You guys had a sleepover without me? Hey Mads! Mads, be honest. Is he a cuddler?"

**Can always count on Tig to defuse an awkward situation with some more awkwardness! **

**Now, I'm going to hop into bed and hide under the pillows and make this headache go away. So leave a bunch of pretty reviews for me to read when I wake up (: **


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